Silverstone is back in the WEC, and the 2027 calendar is the biggest in a decade
One of endurance racing's spiritual homes rejoins a championship on the rise
Silverstone is returning to the FIA World Endurance Championship. After an eight-year absence, the British circuit will host a six-hour WEC race on 25 April 2027, as part of an expanded nine-round calendar that is the longest the series has run since 2017. For British fans, and for endurance racing generally, this is a genuinely welcome comeback.
Where it sits on the calendar
The 6 Hours of Silverstone slots in as the third round of the 2027 season, on the weekend of 23 to 25 April, sandwiched between the 6 Hours of Imola and the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. That gives the early part of the season a strong run of European classics in the build-up to Le Mans in June. Silverstone's Grand Prix circuit, 5.891 km of fast, flowing corners including Copse, Maggotts, Becketts and Stowe, is one of the great tests of an endurance car.
The full 2027 calendar
The expanded nine-round season spans five regions: Qatar 1812 km (27 March), 6 Hours of Imola (11 April), 6 Hours of Silverstone (25 April), 6 Hours of Spa (15 May), the Le Mans 24 Hours (12 to 13 June), 6 Hours of Sao Paulo (11 July), Lone Star Le Mans at Austin (12 September), 6 Hours of Fuji (26 September) and the 8 Hours of Bahrain (6 November). It is a deliberately global schedule, and the busiest the championship has been in a decade.
A circuit steeped in endurance history
Silverstone is not a random addition. It was a regular WEC fixture from 2012 to 2019, hosting eight events before the pandemic forced a calendar reshuffle, and it has staged endurance racing for more than 50 years. The circuit's history is tied to some of the sport's greatest names, from Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell to Tom Kristensen, drivers who between them hold 20 Le Mans victories. Bringing the World Championship back to that venue carries real weight.
Why now
The expansion reflects how healthy the WEC currently is. The Hypercar class has drawn in a remarkable roster of manufacturers, with reigning champion Ferrari joined by Toyota, Aston Martin and others, and Ford and McLaren arriving as newcomers. FIA WEC CEO Frederic Lequien put it simply: "The growing popularity of FIA WEC amongst manufacturers, media and fans convinced us that now is the right time to expand the schedule." Silverstone CEO Stuart Pringle was just as keen, calling the championship "unique and exciting" and saying the circuit cannot wait to see it back.
AutoNext Take
A championship only adds races and grows its calendar when it is genuinely thriving, and that is exactly what the WEC is doing right now. Bringing back Silverstone, a real drivers' circuit with deep endurance roots and one of the most passionate crowds in motorsport, is a statement of confidence rather than a gap-filler. With a Hypercar grid this stacked and Ford and McLaren still to come, a nine-round 2027 season suddenly looks like one of the most appealing in modern endurance racing. The WEC is on a roll, and Silverstone is the right place to show it off.
