37 WEC cars on the grid at Sebring season-opener
The 2022 WEC curtain-raiser (16-18 March) will mark a series of firsts for the championship including the introduction of an all-new renewable fuel from TotalEnergies: Excellium Racing 100. This 100% renewable fuel will be produced on bioethanol basis and allows for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings of at least 65% compared with traditional fossil fuels.
Sebring will also see Hypercars in action for the first time on American soil as Toyota Gazoo Racing, Glickenhaus Racing and Alpine’s A480 – Gibson are set to go head-to-head in the WEC’s headline category. Out of the 12 drivers entered in the Hypercar category, there will be one local ace: Glickenhaus’ Ryan Briscoe, an Australian-American who will compete alongside Frenchmen Olivier Pla and Romain Dumas in the American flagged Glickenhaus squad.
It will also be the first that American brand Corvette Racing will contest a full-time WEC campaign with the iconic US car brand eager to get off to a strong start in front of the home fans. The #64 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R will be driven by Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy as they prepare to go head-to-head with Ferrari and Porsche in the LMGTE Pro category, who have both entered two cars (the Ferrari 488 GTE Evo and the Porsche 911 RSR-19) in the class.
Elsewhere, a record-breaking 15 LMP2 cars will battle it out at Sebring with Richard Mille Racing Team yesterday confirming that eight-time FIA World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier will compete with the squad in 2022, with Charles Milesi and female ace Lilou Wadoux alongside him. Reigning LMP2 Champions WRT also announced its drivers for an expanded two-car line-up, with Robin Frijns, joined by Sean Gelael, who moved across from Jota, and three-time DTM titlist René Rast aboard the #31. The team’s second car, the #41 entry supported by Realtime, will be shared by Ferdinand Habsburg, Norman Nato and Rui Andrade.
Meanwhile, in LMGTE Am there will be 13 teams gunning for victory including 2019 Sebring winners Dempsey-Proton Racing that will field two cars. The #77 and 88 Porsche 911 RSR entries have close ties to the USA due to its co-owner, Patrick Dempsey. TF Sport will be another popular choice with the home fans as America’s Ben Keating will drive the # 33 Aston Martin Vantage AMR alongside team-mates Florian Latorre and Marco Sorensen.
With the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship 12 Hours of Sebring classic to follow the very next day (19 March), fans will once again get the chance to see the amazing ‘Super Sebring’ double-header meaning more racing, more action and twice the fun!
The official WEC track action starts on Wednesday 16 March, with the 1000 Miles of Sebring beginning at midday local time on Friday 18 March.
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Great to read about such a big starting line-up. I'm sure it will be a fantastic season and I'm glad that there's a challenge to Toyota in the Hypercar class. Shame we haven't got a race in UK this season.
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