2027 World Endurance Championship: A sensational twist with two races at Spa!

The World Endurance Championship is responding to calls for more races and is expanding its 2027 calendar. As EWC officials announced on Thursday (12 November), the coming season will feature five races instead of four for the first time since the most recent calendar was drawn up. However, the four existing venues will remain unchanged. The additional event will be integrated into the Spa-Francorchamps race weekend, where two races will be held over the course of two days.

When the calendar was originally unveiled, only one 8-hour race in Belgium had been planned. Now, the organisers have developed a new concept that allows the championship to be expanded without imposing an additional journey on the teams. In addition to the expansion of the calendar, there are further changes: the two 24-hour races at Le Mans and Le Castellet will have a streamlined schedule, whilst qualifying at all events will in future consist of just one session.

Spa-Francorchamps to host a double-header

The biggest change concerns the weekend of 4 to 6 June. On Saturday 5 June, the 8 Hours of Spa will take place as usual. This will be followed by an additional 6-hour race on Sunday 6 June. Both races count as separate World Championship rounds, meaning that Spa will host two of the season’s five races in future.

This presents a particular challenge for the teams. Within a matter of hours, the motorbikes must be inspected, serviced and prepared for the next race following an eight-hour race. Teams must also take into account, when organising their riders and race strategy, that another World Championship round is due to take place immediately after the first race.

The starting grid will not be determined twice. Friday’s qualifying session will set the order for both races. The announcement does not provide for any additional practice or qualifying sessions between the two races.

“From a sporting perspective, the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps will be a real challenge. Two races on consecutive days will force the teams to prepare their motorbikes, allocate their riders and plan their strategy across two days,” explained Claude Michy, president of EWC promoter Endurance Moto Promoter (EMP).

The Frenchman also emphasised the economic benefit of this arrangement: “This fifth round gives the teams an extra race without them having to add another trip to their season schedule.”

New schedules for Le Mans and the Bol d’Or

There are also changes to the two historic 24-hour races. Both the 24 Hours of Le Mans in April and the Bol d’Or in September will in future be held according to a standardised, streamlined timetable. Official track time will not begin until Thursday evening with a free practice session that also extends into the night.

Further free practice sessions and qualifying will follow on Friday. Saturday and Sunday are reserved for the warm-up and the actual 24-hour race. This does away with the previous, more extensive programme of practice and qualifying sessions at the start of the race week.

The organisers aim to reduce the workload for teams and riders whilst simultaneously enhancing the sporting significance of the individual sessions. In 24-hour races in particular, practising in the dark remains a vital part of preparation.

“The new schedule gives each practice session greater weight,” explained Michy. Paul King, Director of the FIM Road Racing Commission, added: “The revised format for the 24-hour races preserves the unique challenge of night-time riding whilst ensuring a more sustainable and balanced race week for the participants.”

Just one qualifying session per event

Another fundamental change concerns the starting grid. Instead of the previous two qualifying sessions, there will be just one qualifying session at all events from 2027 onwards. This increases the importance of every single fast lap, whilst at the same time reducing the organisational burden.

Suzuka remains an exception when it comes to determining the final starting positions. At the Japanese highlight of the season, the traditional Top 10 Trial will continue to be held, with the fastest teams battling it out for the front-row starting positions.

“A single qualifying session ensures that every lap counts and gives fans a clearer picture of the starting grid,” said King, explaining the change. According to the FIM, the reforms were developed in collaboration with the promoter, the teams and the manufacturers, and take their feedback into account.

The 2027 EWC calendar at a glance

The season opener takes place from 8 to 11 April at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Following the double-header at Spa in early June, the series heads to Japan for the 8 Hours of Suzuka in early July. The season finale is traditionally the Bol d’Or at the Circuit Paul Ricard in southern France, which takes place from 16 to 19 September.

With the additional race at Spa, the organisers are at least partially fulfilling the manufacturers’ wish for a more extensive World Championship. Whilst the number of race weekends remains unchanged, the teams are given a further opportunity to score World Championship points. At the same time, the new format in Belgium could add to the excitement: two races in one weekend not only increase the sporting demands but also the risk that technical problems or crashes could affect the outcome of several World Championship races at once.