2023 FIA World Endurance Championship
The 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship is the eleventh season of the FIA World Endurance Championship, an auto racing series organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The series is open to prototype and grand tourer-style racing cars divided into three categories. World Championship titles will be awarded to the leading drivers in both the prototype and grand tourer divisions and to the leading manufacturer in prototype division. It is the first season in which LMDh (Le Mans Daytona h) entries will be allowed to compete in the Hypercar category for championship points alongside LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) entries, after being permitted on a race-by-race basis in 2022. Upon the discontinuation of LMGTE Pro, LMGTE Am remains as the sole GT class, although it will be replaced after this season. After being introduced for the 2021 season the LMP2 Pro-Am Cup was also dropped. Calendar 
On 29 September 2022, the 2023 calendar was announced on the website and YouTube channel of the FIA World Endurance Championship, with the six races of the 2022 season and the return to Portimão, this time with a 6-hour format. Entries

Hypercar

LMP2 
In accordance with the 2017 LMP2 regulations, all cars in the LMP2 class will use the Gibson GK428 V8 engine. LMGTE Am

Season report

1000 Miles of Sebring 

Ferrari's Antonio Fuoco drove the 499P to pole position in the season opener in Sebring, in what was Ferrari's first appearance in endurance racing in 50 years. Fuoco lead the field off the line, however was soon surpassed by both the Toyota entries. The #7 Toyota, driven by Kamui Kobayashi, took the lead at the 4 hour mark and was never headed. The #7 Toyota of Kobayashi, Mike Conway and José María López lead home the #8 Toyota of Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa by six seconds. The #50 Ferrari of Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen finished 3rd, a lap down on the Toyota. In LMP2, the Prema Racing #63 of Dorianne Pin, Mirko Bortolotti and Daniil Kvyat lead with 5 minutes to go however had to pit for a splash of fuel. This handed the LMP2 victory to the #48 Jota of David Beckmann, Will Stevens and Yifei Ye, with the Prema finishing in 3rd. The #23 United Autosports lead for the first half of the race, but was forced to pit with technical issues. The #22 United Autosports of Filipe Alburquerque, Philip Hanson and Frederick Lubin snatched 2nd place with just minutes left. The LMGTE AM saw drama in the races early stages. The #83 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari cartwheeled after colliding with the tyre wall. The sole Corvette entry of Nicky Catsburg, Ben Keating and Nicolas Varrone dominated the 2nd half of the race, taking victory. The #77 Dempsey-Proton Porsche capitalized on a late fuel stop by the #57 Kessel Racing Ferrari to take second position. The pole-sitting #85 Iron Dames Porsche led the first half of the race, before running off the road, dislodging bodywork. 6 Hours of Portimao 

The Hypercar class saw Toyota #7, in the hands of Conway, blast into the lead at the start, passing its pole-sitting sister machine. The #8 Toyota, driven by Buemi, lost a place to James Calado (Ferrari #50), however regained this position a lap later. Toyota management ordered the two cars to swap, however the #7 began suffering technical issues and pulled into the pits. This left the #8 Toyota to canter to victory. The #50 Ferrari finished 2nd, after holding off the #6 Porsche of Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Andre Lotterer. The Vanwall entry had a brake calliper explode with Jacques Villeneuve at the wheel, which led to retirement. The LMP2 qualifying session saw the Prema Racing #63 (Mirko Bortolotti) beat the Vector Racing #10 of Gabriel Aubry to pole by 0.001 seconds. Neither team had a role to play in the fight for victory, however. United Autosport #23 of Giedo van der Garde, Josh Pierson and Oliver Jarvis had their revenge after retiring from the lead at Sebring. They won the class ahead of the sister machine #22, despite having no radio for the final two hours. The GTE AM Class saw the Corvette #33 grab pole position, but couldn't hold the lead in the race. The AF Corse #21 blasted into the lead at the start, but faded into the latter stages. This left the Corvette entry to battle for victory with the #83 Richard Mille Ferrari. The two cars were side-by-side in places on the final lap, but Catsburg narrowly edged Alessio Rovera to the flag, taking Corvette Racing's 2nd victory in succession. The #85 Iron Dames Porsche came through to finish 3rd. 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps 

Qualifying saw drama in the Hypercar class, with the No. 8 Toyota of Hartley crashing out on cold tyres. Antonio Giovinazzi put the No. 51 Ferrari on pole, however saw his time stripped for a track limits violation. This promoted Kobayashi in the No. 7 Toyota to pole position, meaning Toyota had a car at the front and back of the field. The race began in tricky conditions, and drivers had to decide which tyres to start the race on. Both Toyotas started on slicks, leaving Conway floundering at the start. Both Ferraris and a Cadillac passed Conway going into turn 1. The No. 3 Cadillac, driven by Renger van der Zande, crashed heavily at Eau Rouge after 2 hours. It was surmised that the car had a steering issue. Not long after, the No. 6 Porsche ground to a halt and into retirement after a strong showing. For the second race running, Jacques Villeneuve was driving the No. 4 Vanwall when forced to retire from the event. Villeneuve, chasing the No. 708 Glickenhaus, was clipped by the GTE Am No. 54 AF Corse Ferrari (Francesco Castellacci) at Blanchimont. The move pitched them both into the wall with about 2 hour 30 min remaining. An hour later, Fuoco crashed the No. 50 Ferrari just after its pit stop going down the hill to Eau Rouge. The car was running third after having to battle past the No. 2 Cadillac and No. 5 Porsche earlier. The No. 7 Toyota cantered to victory ahead of the sister car. It was the No. 7 car's 2nd victory of the season. The battle for 3rd place was settled on the final lap when the No. 51 Ferrari of Calado caught and passed the No. 5 Porsche of Frederic Makowiecki. The No. 23 United Autosports car of Tom Blomqvist dominated the early stages of the race in LMP2. Hometown heroes Team WRT (running Nos. 31 and 41) both battled for supremacy, but the No. 41 of Rui Andrade, Robert Kubica and Louis Deletraz saw the chequered flag first. The team managed to pass the No. 23 United Autosport with 15 minutes remaining. The No. 63 Prema Racing was also in the running, but had to serve a 3-minute stop-and-go penalty. The penalty, for not respecting safety car procedures, was served with 30 minutes remaining, putting them out of contention. The GTE Am class saw the No. 33 Corvette Racing battle with the No. 25 ORT by TF Aston Martin of Ahmad Al Harthy, Michael Dinan and Charlie Eastwood for the lead. They fought for position throughout the race, however, by the chequered flag it was a battle for second place. Lilou Wadoux, driving the No. 83 Richard Mille AF Corse, overtook the No. 88 Proton Competition at about half distance and was never headed. The No. 33 Corvette and No. 25 Aston Martin finished inline astern in second and third places, respectively. Wadoux became the first female driver to win a race in the World Endurance Championship. 24 Hours of Le Mans

6 Hours of Monza 

The #7 Toyota of Kobayashi took pole in Hypercar, beating the #50 Ferrari by just 0.017 seconds, the smallest ever margin in world endurance championship history. At the start of the race, the #93 Peugeot blasted into the lead in the early stages, whilst the #8 Toyota collided with the #51 Le Mans winning Ferrari. The #8 also collided with the #777 D'Station Aston Martin, with the #777 suffering a heavy impact. The #8 was given a one minute stop and go penalty for the incidents. However in the end, the #7 Toyota claimed its third win of the season, finishing ahead of the #50 Ferrari and the #93 Peugeot. In LMP2, the #28 Jota took their first victory of the season. The Alpine #36 beat the pole-sitting #41 Team WRT to second place. The GTE AM class saw Corvette Racing's #33 crew of Nicky Catsburg, Ben Keating and Nico Varrone seal the class world championship title by finishing 4th in class. Proton-Dempsey Porsche #77 took the victory ahead of the Iron Lynx #60 and GR Racing #86 Porsches. The pole-sitting #85 Iron Dames Porsche finished 5th. 6 Hours of Fuji

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. Drivers' championships 
Three titles are offered to drivers, one with world championship status. The Hypercar World Endurance Drivers' Championship is reserved for Hypercar drivers while FIA Endurance Trophies are awarded for LMP2 and LMGTE Am Drivers. Hypercar World Endurance Drivers' Championship

FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Drivers

FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Drivers

Manufacturers' and teams' championships 
A world championship is awarded for Hypercar manufacturers and teams. FIA Endurance Trophies are awarded for LMP2 and LMGTE Am teams. Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers' Championship 
Points are awarded only for the highest finishing competitor from each manufacturer. FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams

FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Teams

FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Teams

References

Notes

External links 
 

 
FIA World Endurance Championship seasons
World Endurance Championship
World Endurance Championship