Driver Line-Up Reshuffle Shapes Up the 2025 WEC Season

Driver Line-Up Reshuffle Shapes Up the 2025 WEC Season

By Michael Anderson

February 20, 2025 at 01:06 AM

Looking ahead to the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship, significant driver lineup changes are reshaping the Hypercar class landscape. While Toyota and Ferrari maintain their existing driver rosters, other manufacturers are exploring new strategies, including two-driver crews for full-season campaigns.

Ferrari Daruma doll on vehicle nose

Ferrari Daruma doll on vehicle nose

Ferrari, in particular, aims to build on its consecutive Le Mans victories with an unchanged six-driver lineup across its two factory 499Ps. James Calado, who shares the No. 51 with Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi, strongly supports this stability, emphasizing the importance of team cohesion.

Despite showing impressive pace throughout 2024, Ferrari's challenge has been consistency outside of Le Mans. With only one win in shorter races through AF Corse's third car, the team has focused on reliability improvements for 2025. Several near-misses at Spa, Imola, Austin, and Fuji have driven these developments.

A significant regulatory change may be coming regarding driver weight parity. Sources indicate that ballast rules, similar to those used in LMP1 Hybrid era, could return for the 2025 season opener in Qatar. This change would address concerns about lighter drivers offsetting BoP ballast, an issue that has reportedly deterred some drivers, including Max Verstappen, from participating in Le Mans.

The weight parity implementation remains under discussion, with Ferrari's head of endurance race cars, Ferdinando Cannizzo, confirming ongoing talks with rule makers. The addition of mandatory driver weigh-ins to the Qatar Prologue schedule suggests this change is imminent.

The 2025 season presents a refined balance between team stability and strategic innovation, with manufacturers exploring different approaches to maximize their championship potential.

Related Articles

Previous Articles