Latest news with #Hypercars
Qatar Tribune
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar to host World Endurance C'ship prologue and season-opener following Le Mans 2026 calendar reveal
Tribune News Network Doha The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced the 2026 World Endurance Championship (WEC) calendar in Le Mans on 13 June, confirming Qatar's continued role in launching the new season with both the Prologue testing sessions and the opening championship round March 22-28 , making it one of the 8 circuits around to world to host WEC in 2026. For a third time, Lusail International Circuit (LIC) will welcome the premier endurance racing series with the Prologue sessions scheduled from March 22-23,allowing teams and drivers to fine-tune their Hypercars and LMGT3 machines ahead of the competitive season. The official championship action will commence shortly afterwards with the Qatar 1812 KM race being held from March 26-28. Named in honour of Qatar's National Day, this endurance contest will once again test competitors as they race from daylight into darkness, a maximum of ten hours across the 5.38km, 16-turn circuit. The circuit's characteristics – featuring a flat, high-speed layout with minimal elevation changes and maximum grip – continue to provide an ideal proving ground for the sport's most advanced prototypes and production-based GT cars. The 16 turns combined with the kilometre-long main straight demand peak performance from both machinery and drivers. Following success in 2024 and 2025, the Qatar rounds have established themselves as unmissable fixtures on the WEC calendar, attracting the world's leading automotive manufacturers including Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, Aston Martin, Peugeot, Alpine, and BMW in the premier Hypercar category. The LMGT3 class will feature equally fierce competition among marques such as Corvette, Lexus, Ferrari, BMW, and Mercedes-AMG. Stay tuned for further ticketing information.
ILoveQatar.net
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- ILoveQatar.net
World Endurance Championship Prologue & Season Opener 2026
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced the 2026 World Endurance Championship (WEC) calendar in Le Mans on 13 June, confirming Qatar's continued role in launching the new season with both the Prologue testing sessions and the opening championship round 22 - 28 March 2025 making it one of the 8 circuits around to world to host WEC in 2026. For the third time, Lusail International Circuit (LIC) will welcome the premier endurance racing series. The Prologue sessions, scheduled from 22 - 23 March 2026, will allow teams and drivers to fine-tune their Hypercars and LMGT3 machines ahead of the competitive season. The official championship action will commence shortly afterwards with the Qatar 1812 KM race being held from 26-28 March 2026. Named in honour of Qatar's National Day, this endurance contest will once again test competitors as they race from daylight into darkness, a maximum of ten hours across the 5.38km, 16-turn circuit. More details to be announced. Source: Lusail International Circuit Note: The details mentioned in this event listing are sourced from the organizers' official announcements and are subject to change. Please check with the organizer directly before making plans.
Qatar Living
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- Qatar Living
Qatar to Host World Endurance Championship Prologue and Season Opener Following Le Mans 2026 Calendar Reveal
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced the 2026 World Endurance Championship (WEC) calendar in Le Mans on 13 June, confirming Qatar's continued role in launching the new season with both the Prologue testing sessions and the opening championship round March 22-28 , making it one of the 8 circuits around to world to host WEC in 2026. For the third time, Lusail International Circuit (LIC) will welcome the premier endurance racing series with the Prologue sessions scheduled from March 22-23, allowing teams and drivers to fine-tune their Hypercars and LMGT3 machines ahead of the competitive season. The official championship action will commence shortly afterwards with the Qatar 1812 KM race being held from March 26-28. Named in honour of Qatar's National Day, this endurance contest will once again test competitors as they race from daylight into darkness, a maximum of ten hours across the 5.38km, 16-turn circuit. The circuit's characteristics – featuring a flat, high-speed layout with minimal elevation changes and maximum grip – continue to provide an ideal proving ground for the sport's most advanced prototypes and production-based GT cars. The 16 turns combined with the kilometre-long main straight demand peak performance from both machinery and drivers. Following success in 2024 and 2025, the Qatar rounds have established themselves as unmissable fixtures on the WEC calendar, attracting the world's leading automotive manufacturers including Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, Aston Martin, Peugeot, Alpine, and BMW in the premier Hypercar category. The LMGT3 class will feature equally fierce competition among marques such as Corvette, Lexus, Ferrari, BMW, and Mercedes-AMG. Stay tuned for further ticketing information. --- Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content. Instagram - @qatarliving X - @qatarliving Facebook - Qatar Living YouTube - qatarlivingofficial
Daily Tribune
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Ferrari targets Le Mans hat-trick
AFP | Le Mans Ferrari's Formula One fortunes may be flagging but the Italian constructor start this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hour Race as favourites targeting a third consecutive triumph in motorsport's fabled endurance classic. Roger Federer is acting as celebrity starter with the tennis icon getting the 93rd edition of the jewel in four-wheeled endurance racing's crown underway at 1600 local time (1400GMT) on Saturday. Twenty-four hours later, through daylight, darkness and dawn, the 21 elite Hypercars will battle it out over 300 laps (4,000 kilometres plus) in front of a sell-out 320,000 crowd burning the midnight oil with copious quantities of coffee and beer. Ferrari made a triumphant return after a 50 year absence to land Le Mans' centenary race in 2023, repeating the feat last year. The Prancing Horse stable ended Toyota's run of five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2022 with the Japanese manufacturer out to reclaim their crown 40 years after their first Le Mans appearance. A shake-up in the regulations for 2023 sparked fresh interest in the premier class and this year Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche face challenges from Aston Martin, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, and Peugeot. Ferrari's position as the team to beat is bolstered by their bright start to the season, reeling off wins in the first three world endurance races in Qatar, Imola and Belgium. But Antonio Fuoco, who took the chequered flag 12 months ago along with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, is taking nothing for granted. 'Compared to last year, everyone is closer to the other, it's going to be a tough battle,' forecast the 29-year-old Italian driver. Ferrari team manager Batti Pregliasco is wary of the threat posed by Toyota. 'The idea of winning a third Le Mans in a row would be magnificent,' he said. 'But the Toyotas are very strong here because they have the experience, the ability, and the means to win.' 'Bitter-sweet' Nyck De Vries was sharing driving duties in the Toyota that came off second best in 2024, and the 30-year-old Dutchman is hungry for revenge. 'Finishing second last year was a great result but after such a long race, with so many different emotions, it felt bitter-sweet, so we want to put that right this year,' said De Vries, summarily sacked by Red Bull's then Alpha Tauri sister team midway through the 2023 F1 season. De Vries is one of a cluster of former F1 drivers including former world champion Jenson Button seduced by the lure of adding their name on the hallowed Le Mans roll of honour - just as Fernando Alonso did in 2018-19 for Toyota, the veteran Spaniard emulating the likes of F1 greats from yesteryear like Graham Hill, Phil Hill and Jochen Rindt. Joining the 21 Hypercars are 17 entries in the LMP2 class and 24 in the LMGT3 category in an event that has been visited by tragedy over the years, with 22 drivers perishing. Le Mans, where eye-watering speeds of up to 400kmh have been reached on the Sarthe circuit's Mulsanne straight, marks the 70th anniversary of the 1955 disaster this weekend when pieces of debris from Pierre Levegh's car rained down on the crowd, killing 81 spectators, although a definitive death toll was never established. A sombre reminder then of the dangers faced by the 186 drivers taking part -- including the all women 'Iron Dames' LMGT3 team of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Fry and Celia Martin. The encouraging news for this brave bunch is that the French met office forecast looks benign, with no rain or storms predicted over the weekend which kicks off with qualifying for pole on Thursday night.
Malay Mail
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Ferrari face fierce Toyota challenge at Le Mans as 24-hour battle begins with Federer as celeb starter
PARIS, June 12 — Ferrari's Formula One fortunes may be flagging but the Italian constructor start this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hour Race as favourites targeting a third consecutive triumph in motorsport's fabled endurance classic. Roger Federer is acting as celebrity starter with the tennis icon getting the 93rd edition of the jewel in four-wheeled endurance racing's crown underway at 1600 local time (1400GMT) on Saturday. Twenty-four hours later, through daylight, darkness and dawn, the 21 elite Hypercars will battle it out over 300 laps (4,000 kilometres plus) in front of a sell-out 320,000 crowd burning the midnight oil with copious quantities of coffee and beer. Ferrari made a triumphant return after a 50 year absence to land Le Mans' centenary race in 2023, repeating the feat last year. The Prancing Horse stable ended Toyota's run of five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2022 with the Japanese manufacturer out to reclaim their crown 40 years after their first Le Mans appearance. A shake-up in the regulations for 2023 sparked fresh interest in the premier class and this year Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche face challenges from Aston Martin, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, and Peugeot. Ferrari's position as the team to beat is bolstered by their bright start to the season, reeling off wins in the first three world endurance races in Qatar, Imola and Belgium. But Antonio Fuoco, who took the chequered flag 12 months ago along with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, is taking nothing for granted. 'Compared to last year, everyone is closer to the other, it's going to be a tough battle,' forecast the 29-year-old Italian driver. Ferrari team manager Batti Pregliasco is wary of the threat posed by Toyota. 'The idea of winning a third Le Mans in a row would be magnificent,' he said. 'But the Toyotas are very strong here because they have the experience, the ability, and the means to win.' 'Bitter-sweet' Nyck De Vries was sharing driving duties in the Toyota that came off second best in 2024, and the 30-year-old Dutchman is hungry for revenge. 'Finishing second last year was a great result but after such a long race, with so many different emotions, it felt bitter-sweet, so we want to put that right this year,' said De Vries, summarily sacked by Red Bull's then Alpha Tauri sister team midway through the 2023 F1 season. De Vries is one of a cluster of former F1 drivers including former world champion Jenson Button seduced by the lure of adding their name on the hallowed Le Mans roll of honour - just as Fernando Alonso did in 2018-19 for Toyota, the veteran Spaniard emulating the likes of F1 greats from yesteryear like Graham Hill, Phil Hill and Jochen Rindt. Joining the 21 Hypercars are 17 entries in the LMP2 class and 24 in the LMGT3 category in an event that has been visited by tragedy over the years, with 22 drivers perishing. Le Mans, where eye-watering speeds of up to 400kmh have been reached on the Sarthe circuit's Mulsanne straight, marks the 70th anniversary of the 1955 disaster this weekend when pieces of debris from Pierre Levegh's car rained down on the crowd, killing 81 spectators, although a definitive death toll was never established. A sombre reminder then of the dangers faced by the 186 drivers taking part—including the all women 'Iron Dames' LMGT3 team of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Fry and Celia Martin. The encouraging news for this brave bunch is that the French met office forecast looks benign, with no rain or storms predicted over the weekend which kicks off with qualifying for pole on Thursday night. — AFP
