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SBK, Le Mans, Spa, Suzuka and the Bol d'Or: four rounds on the EWC's 2025 calendar

Also next year, the World Endurance Championship will feature two 24-hour races and two eight-hour events on four iconic circuits. Jean-Baptiste Ley: "We are working to expand the calendar but at the moment it is not possible"

SBK: Le Mans, Spa, Suzuka and the Bol d'Or: four rounds on the EWC's 2025 calendar

As in this season, there will be four events that the World Endurance racers will tackle in 2025. This morning in fact the calendar for next year was announced, which will include two 24-hour races and two eight-hour events on four iconic circuits.

The championship gets underway in April with the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The event at the Bugatti circuit will then be followed by the 8 Hours at Spa-Francorchamps in June and the famous 8 Hours of Suzuka, scheduled for August. The grand finale of the EWC will then be the Bol d'Or, staged in September at Circuit Paul Ricard.

All four events will be valid for both the Endurance World Championship and the Superstock Endurance World Cup, although only the best three scores achieved will continue to count for Superstock squads. In 2025, the new FIM Production World Trophy will be contested over the course of the EWC's three European events, with the Yamaha R7 Endurance Series as a supporting race during the weekends of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 8 Hours of Spa.

"We are very pleased to be able to count on four pillar events as the backbone of the EWC again in 2025. Not only have these events continued to provide plenty of unmissable moments for the fans, they have also provided a level of stability that has allowed the EWC to go from strength to strength," said Jean-Baptiste Ley, Motorsport Events Director at Warner Bros Discovery Sports.

"However, we remain committed to expanding the EWC calendar and continue to work towards that goal. At present, it’s not realistic due to the increased costs for the teams, even with the strong logistical support WBD Sports has offered in the past. As a result, in close collaboration with the FIM, we’ve focused our development on strengthening the EWC pyramid and reinforcing the endurance base. This is essential for nurturing new talent and ensuring the continued growth of endurance racing," continued Ley, explaining the genesis of the new calendar.

“Considering the significant increase in performance and professionalism among the EWC and Superstock teams in recent years, it was crucial for WBD Sports to concentrate its efforts on keeping the championship as affordable and accessible as possible to newcomers. With a successful four-race format and the creation of the new FIM Production Trophy, the EWC now offers a platform for all categories of teams: from the smallest, passionate privateers who have written some of the most inspiring human stories in endurance racing, to the top manufacturer-supported teams, who deliver an incredible spectacle and thrilling battles every season."

Words that find support in those uttered by Paul King, Director of the FIM Circuit Racing Commission.

"By announcing the 2025 FIM EWC calendar so soon after the completion of the 2024 season we are not only giving the riders and teams the chance to really kick-start their preparations for next year, we are also building on the positive momentum generated throughout 2024," he said. “WBD Sports has delivered a calendar that offers important stability through the inclusion of four tried and trusted events that hold plenty of appeal as well as being organised to a very high standard. At the same time, while we recognise the ambition to expand the calendar in future years, it’s very important to focus on the development of the EWC pyramid as a means of further strengthening the discipline through the creation of the new FIM Production World Trophy. We are also pleased that riders and teams from the new Yamaha R7 Endurance Series will get the chance to experience the EWC as a support race during two events before they hopefully consider following the pathway to the top of endurance racing that the pyramid has created."

The 2025 World Endurance Championship calendar

Round 1: 24 Hours of Le Mans, France: 17-20 April

Round 2: 8 Hours of Spa, Belgium: 6-7 June

Round 3: 8 Hours of Suzuka, Japan: 1-3 August

Round 4: 24 Hours of the Bol d'Or, Paul Ricard, France: 18-21 September

 

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