WEC - A seventh round at Portimão in 2023?

Since 2020, a WEC season has consisted of 'only' six races, whereas we have had up to nine. This decrease can be explained in particular by the dieselgate and the Covid.

But the organisers have never hidden the fact that the idea is to increase the programme as soon as possible. This should be done as early as 2023, with the addition of a seventh round, in Europe, probably before the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Today, the favorite seems to be the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, located not far from Portimão (Portugal). The event would be organized in April, between the 1000 miles of Sebring and the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.

But according to our sources, negotiations and discussions are still ongoing. Indeed, the competitors - and especially the newcomers in Hypercar - would like to bring forward the 6 Hours of Monza to April, before the 24 Hours of Le Mans in order to have a second circuit, in addition to Spa, offering high speeds. 

Will this mean that Portimão will be postponed until later in the season? Not necessarily. Some people would like to see a return to Silverstone, in Great Britain, - land of motorsport - during the summer. The problem with the British circuit is the cost required to organise a meeting there, which is why the WEC and ELMS used to visit it on the same weekend... and have not visited it since 2019.

Sebring, Spa-Francorchamps, Le Mans, Monza, Fuji and Bahrain are still on the programme.