Photos: Corvette Racing

The move to create a new FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) was approved recently by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. The decision means that sports-car endurance racing will have a true world championship for the first time since 1992.

Reportedly, there will be both drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships based on the overall classification over a seven race program. A manufacturers’ title would be awarded for the GTE Pro class, and FIA Trophies will be awarded to the best teams in LMP2 and GTE Am.

Due to start in 2012, WEC will replace the current Intercontinental Le Mans Cup program, as well as the current FIA GT1 World Championship, and will include the GTE (formerly GT2) category, in which the Chevrolet Corvette C6.R is a contender. Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan was supportive, but non-committal when speaking with Autosport this week.

“It’s a proposed concept, and I think it is a powerfully good idea. We’ll wait for the details and see how it works to develop a strategy. We’re excited,” he said.

The visibility of a World Championship sports car endurance series will be a strong boost for the sport and may attract new manufacturers into the field. The announced agreement between LeMans organizers, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and the FIA has an initial term of three years. Ratification of a subsequent agreement would solidify the series for a further ten year period.