The FIA World Endurance Championship arrives in Texas this weekend for spherical six of its eight-event 2025 season, as title contenders put together for the Lone Star Le Mans occasion held at Circuit of the Americas.
Austin’s state-of-the-art COTA has hosted the WEC on seven earlier events, first showing on the calendar in 2013. The latest venue on the championship calendar is famend for its difficult structure, that includes dramatic elevation adjustments, quick sweepers, technical sluggish corners, the signature 41-metre uphill climb into blind Flip 1, generally known as ‘Huge Crimson’, the zig-zag ‘Esses’ and the triple-apex right-hander at Turns 16–18.
The circuit runs anti-clockwise and is demanding on brakes and tyres, with round 44% of the 5.513km lap spent at full throttle. Hypercars attain speeds exceeding 300kph, and drivers shift gears an estimated 54 occasions per lap. Its flowing nature and vast overtaking zones continuously produce spectacular races; with final yr’s occasion being the second-closest end in WEC historical past, because the #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P held off the #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 Hybrid by simply 1.780 seconds for its first Hypercar victory.
The AF Corse-entered #83 Ferrari stays firmly in competition for the 2025 title. Having gained June’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, the trio of Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson sit 12 factors behind the championship chief forward of Austin. Ye maintains an ideal file within the US, having beforehand additionally gained in LMP2 at Sebring in 2023.
Nevertheless it’s the manufacturing unit #51 Ferrari trio of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, that sits atop the standings. Giovinazzi claimed his first WEC pole at COTA final season, nevertheless was pressured to retire from the race.
Cadillac will even goal a robust consequence after its breakthrough victory in São Paulo, the place the 2 V-Sequence.Rs left the sector behind.
At Toyota, two-time world champion Kamui Kobayashi will make his seventy fifth look, whereas Mike Conway and Sébastien Buemi are the one drivers to have contested all seven Lone Star Le Mans races. Toyota is but to win at COTA, though Brendon Hartley triumphed 3 times there with Porsche between 2015 and 2017 – a file within the present discipline.
HOME HEROES IN LMGT3
In LMGT3, US-based Coronary heart of Racing Staff, winners at COTA in 2024, are among the many favourites, alongside Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Corvettes, and championship chief Manthey’s Porsche, which options Tennessee-born Ryan Hardwick.
Texas native Ben Keating will make his fortieth WEC begin within the #33 TF Sport Corvette, aiming to scale back the 23-point hole to the championship lead alongside teammates Daniel Juncadella and Jonny Edgar.
KEY INFORMATION
Free observe begins Friday, 5 September. Qualifying and the Hyperpole prime ten shootout begin at 15:00 native time (22:00 CEST) on Saturday, 6 September. The race will get underway at 13:00 native time (20:00 CEST) on Sunday, 7 September.
For additional particulars, together with the total occasion timetable and entry record, click on HERE.
