The FIA World Endurance Championship has unveiled an eight-round provisional calendar for the 2019-2020 season, which sees the return of São Paulo and Bahrain.
As part of a major shake-up of the series following the current 'Super Season', the WEC will switch to a reverse schedule starting with the 4 Hours of Silverstone – reduced by two hours – in September, running through the winter before coming to a close with Le Mans in June.
The change is based on fan feedback following a 2017 survey, which also sees Shanghai cut to four hours and Bahrain increased to eight.
"We are very happy to be able to present a calendar which not only offers a large degree of stability and familiarity, but also moves with the times and responds to the wishes of its many fans around the world," commented Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO).
"With the 24 Hours of Le Mans as its cornerstone, the WEC continues to offer access to the most competitive and open championship possible. The revisions to the race formats may echo endurance events of the past, but we never stop looking towards the future to ensure a sustainable, relevant and exciting championship. The dawn of the new-look WEC calendar will rise in Silverstone in September 2019 and we can’t wait!"
Gérard Neveu, CEO of the WEC, added: "Our fans spoke, we listened and have reacted. Naturally we have had a period of consultation with our partners and competitors, and we believe that this new calendar will meet their expectations and requirements as well as please the fans who are so important to us all.
"Our aim is to introduce an additional round to the 2020-2021 calendar so that there is more or less an event every month to help maintain interest."
The calendar remains subject to approval by the World Motor Sport Council.
2019-2020 FIA World Endurance Championship Provisional Calendar
| 01 September 2019 | 4 Hours of Silverstone | Great Britain |
| 13 October 2019 | 6 Hours of Fuji | Japan |
| 17 November 2019 | 4 Hours of Shanghai | China |
| 14 December 2019 | 8 Hours of Bahrain | Bahrain |
| 01 February 2020 | 6 Hours of São Paulo | Brazil |
| TBC March 2020 | 1000 Miles of Sebring (8 hours) | USA* |
| 03 May 2020 | 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps | Belgium |
| 13-14 June 2020 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | France |
*To be confirmed
