Sebring 2 x 12 hours? from 2019

[smokie]

m I reading this right? 2 x 12 hour races in the same weekend from 2019?

https://www.sebringraceway.com/news/279-sebring-rejoins-fia-wec-calendar-in-2019

which says

Sebring International Raceway will host twin 12-hour endurance races in March 2019 as the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) returns to the famed central Florida circuit. The race will be run the same weekend as the International Motorsports Association (IMSA) sanctioned Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

“We believe this is going to be one of the most exciting and action-packed Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring weekends in our venue’s storied history," stated Sebring Raceway President and General Manager Wayne Estes.

The announcement was made today in Mexico City where the WEC is running the fifth race of its 2017 season.

Sebring hosted the first FIA WEC race in 2012, and was also the site of the first FIA sanctioned Sports Car Manufacturers World Championship race in 1953.

Further information will be released at a later date when details are confirmed.

Sebring hosts the 66th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring March 17th, 2018

[Kristof]

Yep:
http://clubarnage.blogspot.be/2017/09/fia-wec-new-completely-revised-20182019.html

The 12 Hours of Sebring will be a combined event with the IMSA WeatherTech Championship but two separate races will be held.  The IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring will be run on Saturday from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm. The FIA WEC 12 Hours of Sebring will be run from Sunday midnight to Sunday 12 noon.

Racing into the light, should be a cracking race !

I'm still biased over their timing though.  How will they be able to set up the pitlane for WEC within 2 hours after the IMSA race ?
Think there's a good chance timing might be changed. Race start at 5am like Bathurst 1000km would be great too (and a little bit more manageable for media too, I'll need a week recovery at Key West after 2 12 hour races in a row  )

[Rhino]

I thought Sebring didn't have the safety licence to run WEC cars? Think it would be good to have Le Mans as last race of championship though. Would mean teams couldn't drop out after the 24hr.
No Silverstone though. Hoping it would go back to a warmer August.
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/wec-reveals-shift-to-winter-schedule-sebring-for-2019/

[jimclark]

Yep:
http://clubarnage.blogspot.be/2017/09/fia-wec-new-completely-revised-20182019.html

The 12 Hours of Sebring will be a combined event with the IMSA WeatherTech Championship but two separate races will be held.  The IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring will be run on Saturday from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm. The FIA WEC 12 Hours of Sebring will be run from Sunday midnight to Sunday 12 noon.

Racing into the light, should be a cracking race !

I'm still biased over their timing though.  How will they be able to set up the pitlane for WEC within 2 hours after the IMSA race ?
Think there's a good chance timing might be changed. Race start at 5am like Bathurst 1000km would be great too (and a little bit more manageable for media too, I'll need a week recovery at Key West after 2 12 hour races in a row  )

A little confusion is noted...
The 2019 calendar: http://www.calendarpedia.com/images/2019-calendar-template.png
The schedule as posted on SC365...

2018-19 WEC Schedule (Provisional):        
May 4-5 — Spa-Francorchamps
June 16-17 — 24 Hours of Le Mans
Oct. 13-14 — Fuji Speedway
Nov. 3-4 — Shanghai
February (2019) — TBC  
March 15-16 (2019) – Twelve Hours of Sebring
May 3-4 (2019) – Spa-Francorchamps
June 15-16 (2019) – 24 Hours of Le Mans

...which puts the WEC 12 from Friday 3/15 into Saturday 3/16 (which would make sense and negate that problem) What's your source of the race following IMSA's? :shrug:

[Boorish Grobian]

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/143732-imsa-wec-sebring-doubleheader-a-win-for-everyone-atherton
Going to be some exhausted marshal's...
Fax

[jimclark]

"The March 15-16 weekend will now feature IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida followed by a 12-hour WEC race."

Sumpin's wrong with this picture. Again, the 15th and 16th is Friday and Saturday.....  https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/?year=2019&country=1

Sumpin's wrong with this picture. I have a passion for racing, but after the first, my interest would be waning for the second of         two 12 hour races back to back so it sure as heck won't work for me. A night apart I could handle....maybe. It's like a support race after the main event...I have no interest and in my case it would be WEC, not IMSA, so I'll just blow them both off regarding attendance.

What is happenin' to the world.....?

[Landy_Jon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8M8QsWaphg

The WEC speaks about the new 'super season' - posted an hour ago by the WEC.

[Boorish Grobian]

I hope Sebring Intl. Raceway is still there after this weekend.  I think it's in the direct path of Irma, she's a mother of a cat. 5 hurricane.
Spare a thought for our CA colleagues in Florida, as well as those In Texas & Louisiana that got clobbered by Harvey.
Fax

[Rhino]

Silverstone in August that's more like it.
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/silverstone-confirmed-for-201819-fuji-moved-to-avoid-plm-clash/

[mgmark]

Hadn't realised that Silverstone was potentially off the cards next year! Good to see it back on and an August date should be more benign for the weather, although I'll miss the old April date, not because of the weather, but because it was nice to see the cars "out of the box" at the season opener to whet the appetite for June.

MG Mark