The ACO and FIA sign an extension of their agreements
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, who created and have organized the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 1923 remains the promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) via its subsidiary LMEM (Le Mans Endurance Management). The WEC will consist of 8 rounds, encompassing Europe, America and Asia with the Le Mans 24 Hours as the pinnacle of the season. Since its launch in 2012, it has continued to grow by welcoming new competitors attracted by the technological challenge that is inherent in this discipline.
Encouraged by this success, the FIA and ACO have decided to continue their collaboration for the development of WEC during the next 3 seasons. The signing of the agreement took place in the presence of the greatest representatives of car manufacturers participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as suppliers and partners of the races in the Championship.
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest: "I am delighted with the extension of this agreement. In partnership with the FIA, we have set up a World Endurance Championship based on the Spirit of Le Mans which has been key to the success of the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 1923. This competition, which offers enthusiasts the excitement of year-round worldwide endurance races has been a huge success both with spectators and among the biggest organizations in the automotive industry. The extension of this agreement is not only proof of the quality of the joint work in the past three years, but also guarantees the sustainability of the Championship, and is conducive to growing development while ensuring worldwide exposure to all competitors and partners."
Jean Todt, FIA President: "I welcome this signing, which demonstrates the excellent cooperation established between the ACO and the FIA for 3 years. The WEC has been able to build on a solid foundation and continues its development. The seasons to come promise to be exciting, especially the arrival of Nissan in LMP1. This success confirms the interest of constructors in the value of technological innovation in this discipline to which I feel a great bond."
Gérard Neveu, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship: "The FIA World Endurance Championship has made great progress in three years. With this agreement between the ACO and FIA, it will allow us to continue to build on the success we have had since 2012. Continuity and visibility are two important factors that will help us continue to develop the World Championship. This is great news for the WEC paddock. Next year, Nissan will join Audi, Porsche and Toyota in LMP1, demonstrating the attractiveness of endurance racing to big manufacturers in the development of new technologies and to help them in the markets we visit in the World Endurance Championship. The FIA WEC will continue to grow and progress in 2015 and beyond."