The 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship season was the second season of the FIA World Endurance Championship auto racing series, co-organized by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The series was open to Le Mans Prototypes and grand tourer-style racing cars meeting four ACO categories. World Championships were awarded to drivers and to LMP1 category manufacturers, and several World Cups and Endurance Trophies were awarded for the series' other categories. The eight race championship began in April at the Silverstone Circuit and ended in November at the Bahrain International Circuit. The season was marred by the death of Allan Simonsen in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Calendar An initial calendar was published by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on 28 September 2012. Seven of the eight races on the schedule are carried over from 2012, although several events have had their dates changed. The 6 Hours of Silverstone now begins the season in April before Spa in May and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. In order to save costs and utilize shipping by sea instead of air, the non-European events have all been grouped at the end of the season. São Paulo remains as the first post-European event, while the new 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas replaces the 12 Hours of Sebring as the American round of the series. Fuji and Shanghai are moved forward on the calendar, leaving Bahrain to now close the season in November, allowing cooler temperatures than its September date in 2012.
The Silverstone race weekend was shared with the European Le Mans Series, while the Austin weekend was held in conjunction with the American Le Mans Series, although unlike the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring, both series ran separate races.
Rnd Race Circuit Location Date Prologue Circuit Paul Ricard Le Castellet, Var 29/30 March 1 6 Hours of Silverstone Silverstone Circuit Silverstone 14 April 2 WEC 6 Heures de Spa-Francorchamps Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Stavelot 4 May 3 24 Heures du Mans Circuit de la Sarthe Le Mans 22–23 June 4 6 Hours of São Paulo Autódromo José Carlos Pace São Paulo 1 September 5 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas Circuit of the Americas Austin, Texas 22 September 6 6 Hours of Fuji Fuji Speedway Oyama, Shizuoka 20 October 7 6 Hours of Shanghai Shanghai International Circuit Shanghai 9 November 8 6 Hours of Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit Sakhir 30 NovemberSources:
Regulation changes An additional World Cup was awarded for the 2013 season, with drivers in both LMGTE categories having a unified championship. Further, the LMP2 and LMGTE Am categories had FIA Endurance Trophies awarded for their drivers. The qualifying format of the race weekend was also changed, with teams requiring two drivers each to set two timed laps. The qualifying results were determined based on an average of the four total laps. The new qualifying format has been met with much criticism from drivers. The pre-race warm-up session has also been eliminated from the series, except in instances where extra practice may be necessary.
The LMP2 category saw several rule changes in order to lower costs, including the issuing of balance of performance updates during the course of the season. A limit was also set on the price of upgrade kits for 2012 cars for teams not purchasing 2013 chassis, while the number of engines and tyres they can utilize over the course of the season have been restricted. Diesel engines were allowed in the LMP2 category for the first time. Limits on tyres were also set in the LMGTE Am category.
Entries The World Endurance Championship received entries in four classes, including Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance — Professional (LMGTE Pro) and Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance — Amateur (LMGTE Am). The entry list for the 2013 season was released by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest on 1 February, and included six LMP1 and twelve LMP2 cars, six LMGTE Pro entries, and eight LMGTE Am cars, bringing the full grid up to thirty-two entrants. Two LMP2 teams, Starworks Motorsport and HVM Status GP later withdrew their full-season entries citing a lack of funding.
LMP1 Entrant/Team Car Engine Tyre Drivers Rounds Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18 e-tron quattro Audi TDI 3.7 L Turbo V6 (Hybrid Diesel) 1 André Lotterer All Benoît Tréluyer All Marcel Fässler All 2 Tom Kristensen All Allan McNish All Loïc Duval All 3 Marc Gené 2–3 Oliver Jarvis 2–3 Lucas di Grassi 2–3 Toyota Racing Toyota TS030 Hybrid Toyota RV8KLM 3.4 L V8 (Hybrid) 7 Alexander Wurz 1–3, 6–8 Nicolas Lapierre 1–3, 6–8 Kazuki Nakajima 2–3, 6, 8 8 Anthony Davidson All Sébastien Buemi All Stéphane Sarrazin All Rebellion Racing Lola B12/60 Toyota RV8KLM 3.4 L V8 12 Nicolas Prost 1–5, 7–8 Nick Heidfeld 1–5 Neel Jani 1–3 Mathias Beche 4–8 Andrea Belicchi 6–8 13 Andrea Belicchi 1–3 Mathias Beche 1–3 Congfu Cheng 1–3 Strakka Racing HPD ARX-03c Honda LM-V8 3.4 L V8 21 Nick Leventis 1–3 Danny Watts 1–3 Jonny Kane 1–3Key Full-season entry* Eligible for all championship points Additional entry* Eligible only for Drivers' championship points Third manufacturer entry* Eligible for Drivers' championship points* Only eligible for Manufacturers' championship points at Le Mans
LMP2 Entrant/Team Car Engine Tyre Drivers Rounds OAK Racing Morgan LMP2 Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 24 Olivier Pla All Alex Brundle All David Heinemeier Hansson All 35 Bertrand Baguette All Martin Plowman All Ricardo González All 45 Jacques Nicolet All Jean-Marc Merlin 1–5 Philippe Mondolot 3 Keiko Ihara 4, 6–8 Erik Maris 5 David Cheng 7–8 Delta-ADR Oreca 03 Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 25 Tor Graves 1–7 James Walker 1–2, 4–6 Antônio Pizzonia 1–2 Archie Hamilton 3 Shinji Nakano 3, 6 Robbie Kerr 4, 7–8 Rudy Junco 5 Craig Dolby 7–8 Fabien Giroix 8 G-Drive Racing Oreca 03 Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 26 Roman Rusinov All Mike Conway All John Martin All Gulf Racing Middle East Lola B12/80 Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 28 Fabien Giroix 2–3 Keiko Ihara 2–3 Frédéric Fatien 2 Philippe Haezebrouck 3 Lotus Lotus T128 Praga (Judd) 3.6 L V8 31 Kevin Weeda All Vitantonio Liuzzi 1–2, 5–8 Christophe Bouchut 1, 3–4, 7 James Rossiter 2–3, 5–6 Lucas Auer 8 32 Thomas Holzer All Dominik Kraihamer All Jan Charouz All Greaves Motorsport Zytek Z11SN Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 41 Chris Dyson 1–2, 5 Michael Marsal 1–2 Tom Kimber-Smith 1–3, 5 Alexander Rossi 3 Eric Lux 3, 7 Christian Zugel 4–5 Gunnar Jeannette 4 Björn Wirdheim 4, 7–8 Mark Shulzhitskiy 7 Wolfgang Reip 8 Jon Lancaster 8 42 Michael Krumm 3 Jann Mardenborough 3 Lucas Ordóñez 3 Pecom Racing Oreca 03 Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 49 Luis Pérez Companc All Pierre Kaffer All Nicolas Minassian All
LMGTE Pro Entrant/Team Car Engine Tyre Drivers Rounds AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 Ferrari F136 4.5 L V8 51 Gianmaria Bruni All Giancarlo Fisichella 1–7 Matteo Malucelli 3 Toni Vilander 8 71 Kamui Kobayashi All Toni Vilander 1–7 Olivier Beretta 3 Giancarlo Fisichella 8 Porsche AG Team Manthey Porsche 911 RSR Porsche M97/80 4.0 L Flat-6 91 Jörg Bergmeister All Patrick Pilet All Timo Bernhard 1–3 92 Marc Lieb All Richard Lietz All Romain Dumas 1–3 Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Vantage GTE Aston Martin AM05 4.5 L V8 97 Darren Turner All Stefan Mücke All Bruno Senna 1 Peter Dumbreck 2–3 Oliver Gavin 5 Frédéric Makowiecki 6 98 Bruno Senna 2 Frédéric Makowiecki 2 Rob Bell 2 Bill Auberlen 3 Paul Dalla Lana 3–5 Pedro Lamy 3–5 Richie Stanaway 4–5 99 Paul Dalla Lana 1–2 Pedro Lamy 1–2, 6–8 Frédéric Makowiecki 1, 3, 5 Richie Stanaway 2, 6–8 Rob Bell 3–4 Bruno Senna 3–5, 7–8
LMGTE Am Entrant/Team Car Engine Tyre Drivers Rounds Larbre Compétition Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Chevrolet LS5.5R 5.5 L V8 50 Patrick Bornhauser All Julien Canal All Fernando Rees 1–2, 4–8 Ricky Taylor 3 70 Cooper MacNeil 3 Manuel Rodrigues 3 Philippe Dumas 3 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 Ferrari F136 4.5 L V8 54 Yannick Mallégol 2–3 Jean-Marc Bachelier 2–3 Howard Blank 2–3 55 Piergiuseppe Perazzini 3 Lorenzo Casè 3 Darryl O'Young 3 61 Jack Gerber 1–7 Matt Griffin All Marco Cioci 1–7 François Perrodo 8 Emmanuel Collard 8 Krohn Racing Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 Ferrari F136 4.5 L V8 57 Tracy Krohn All Niclas Jönsson All Maurizio Mediani All IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche 997 GT3-RSR Porsche M97/74 4.0 L Flat-6 67 Pascal Gibon 3 Patrice Milesi 3 Wolf Henzler 3 76 Raymond Narac All Jean-Karl Vernay All Christophe Bourret 1, 3–4 Markus Palttala 6–8 8 Star Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 Ferrari F136 4.5 L V8 81 Enzo Potolicchio All Rui Águas All Philipp Peter 1 Matteo Malucelli 2, 5 Jason Bright 3 Davide Rigon 4, 6–8 Proton Competition Porsche 997 GT3-RSR Porsche M97/74 4.0 L Flat-6 88 Christian Ried All Gianluca Roda All Paolo Ruberti All Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Vantage GTE Aston Martin AM05 4.5 L V8 95 Christoffer Nygaard All Kristian Poulsen All Allan Simonsen 1–3 Nicki Thiim 4–5, 7–8 Bruno Senna 6 96 Jamie Campbell-Walter All Stuart Hall All Roald Goethe 1–3, 8 Jonathan Adam 6–7
Results and standings
Race results The highest finishing competitor entered in the World Endurance Championship is listed below. Invitational entries may have finished ahead of WEC competitors in individual races.
Rnd. Circuit LMP1 Winners LMP2 Winners LMGTE Pro Winners LMGTE Am Winners Report 1 Silverstone No. 2 Audi Sport Team Joest No. 25 Delta-ADR No. 97 Aston Martin Racing No. 95 Aston Martin Racing Report Allan McNish Tom Kristensen Loïc Duval Antônio Pizzonia Tor Graves James Walker Darren Turner Stefan Mücke Bruno Senna Allan Simonsen Christoffer Nygaard Kristian Poulsen 2 Spa-Francorchamps No. 1 Audi Sport Team Joest No. 49 PeCom Racing No. 51 AF Corse No. 81 8 Star Motorsports Report André Lotterer Benoît Tréluyer Marcel Fässler Luis Pérez Companc Pierre Kaffer Nicolas Minassian Gianmaria Bruni Giancarlo Fisichella Enzo Potolicchio Rui Águas Matteo Malucelli 3 Le Mans No. 2 Audi Sport Team Joest No. 35 OAK Racing No. 92 Porsche AG Team Manthey No. 76 IMSA Performance Matmut Report Allan McNish Tom Kristensen Loïc Duval Bertrand Baguette Martin Plowman Ricardo González Marc Lieb Richard Lietz Romain Dumas Raymond Narac Jean-Karl Vernay Christophe Bourret 4 Interlagos No. 1 Audi Sport Team Joest No. 26 G-Drive Racing No. 51 AF Corse No. 96 Aston Martin Racing Report André Lotterer Benoît Tréluyer Marcel Fässler Roman Rusinov Mike Conway John Martin Gianmaria Bruni Giancarlo Fisichella Jamie Campbell-Walter Stuart Hall 5 Austin No. 2 Audi Sport Team Joest No. 26 G-Drive Racing No. 99 Aston Martin Racing No. 96 Aston Martin Racing Report Allan McNish Tom Kristensen Loïc Duval Roman Rusinov Mike Conway John Martin Frédéric Makowiecki Bruno Senna Jamie Campbell-Walter Stuart Hall 6 Fuji No. 7 Toyota Racing No. 35 OAK Racing No. 97 Aston Martin Racing No. 95 Aston Martin Racing Report Alexander Wurz Nicolas Lapierre Kazuki Nakajima Bertrand Baguette Martin Plowman Ricardo González Darren Turner Stefan Mücke Frédéric Makowiecki Kristian Poulsen Christoffer Nygaard Bruno Senna 7 Shanghai No. 1 Audi Sport Team Joest No. 26 G-Drive Racing No. 97 Aston Martin Racing No. 81 8 Star Motorsports Report André Lotterer Benoît Tréluyer Marcel Fässler Roman Rusinov Mike Conway John Martin Darren Turner Stefan Mücke Enzo Potolicchio Rui Águas Davide Rigon 8 Bahrain No. 8 Toyota Racing No. 26 G-Drive Racing No. 51 AF Corse No. 95 Aston Martin Racing Report Sébastien Buemi Anthony Davidson Stéphane Sarrazin Roman Rusinov Mike Conway John Martin Gianmaria Bruni Toni Vilander Christoffer Nygaard Kristian Poulsen Nicki ThiimSource: