Over the years, the WEC and Formula E championships have often crossed paths, particularly when it comes to drivers. In fact, drivers who take part in the electric category often have a double commitment, also participating in endurance races. For example, Jean-Eric Vergne has been both a driver for DS Penske in Formula E and an official Peugeot representative in the WEC since the transalpine brand officially made its debut in the Hypercar category last year.
There have been occasions in which, due to force majeure, the two championships clashed and several drivers were forced to make a choice between the two categories depending on the commitments and contracts signed. A problem that has now arisen for many seasons: in some cases the promoters have managed to reach a compromise, while in others a clash was inevitable. The most recent example is that of André Lotterer, who last June decided to skip the Jakarta round of the electric series to concentrate on the preparation phase for the prestigious 24h of Le Mans.
The German will not race in Formula E this year, but has decided to dedicate himself entirely to Porsche’s WEC project, but this does not mean that there will not be concomitances for other drivers. For example, in addition to Jean-Eric Vergne, Stoffel Vandoorne recently also signed a contract with Peugeot to take part in the Endurance championship. Furthermore, although it is not yet official, many believe that Nyck De Vries could be announced as the new Toyota driver, with a role to complement the commitment made recently with Mahindra in Formula E. Among others, the name of Sebastien Buemi, who has taken part in both championships for years.
Jean-Eric Vergne, DS Penske, DS E-Tense FE23
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images
Precisely for this reason, Jean-Eric Vergne urged the organizers of the two championships to find a solution to the overlapping dates in next season’s calendars. Some events will in fact overlap, such as the WEC prologue in Qatar and a Formula E race not yet announced (24 February), the 6 Hours of Spa and the Berlin E-Prix (11 May), as well as the tests of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Jakarta E-Prix (9 June), as already happened last season.
“We are quite confident that the WEC and Formula E organizers will be able to find a solution. I know they are working hard on this aspect. I don’t know exactly how many Formula E drivers participate in the WEC championship, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there were more than half the grid,” Vergne said.
In this case the possibilities of winning the title or existing contracts also play an important role. There are drivers who, like the Frenchman from DS, would like to focus on Formula E anyway, while others would follow the opposite option. In the event that De Vries actually obtains a seat in Toyota, it is not difficult to suppose that the Dutchman might prefer to focus on the WEC where the world championship can be played rather than playing for a stage victory in the electric series, also given the difficulties shown by Mahindra in the Season 9.
“I am convinced that they are working to find a solution, so we are very confident that someone can change the date but, in case there is this clash, my priority is DS Penske and Formula E,” added Vergne.
![Stoffel Vandoorne, DS Penske](https://cdn-3.motorsport.com/images/mgl/0rGbX5q2/s1000/stoffel-vandoorne-ds-penske-1.jpg)
Stoffel Vandoorne, DS Penske
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Like his teammate, Vandoorne also said that Formula E would take priority over the WEC, despite having recently become a full-time Peugeot driver: “I think if you look at the Formula E starting grid, there “There’s more or less half the grid that has the same problem. There are a lot of drivers who combine their commitments with those of the WEC. I think it would be in the interests of both championships to avoid it and have us race in both categories. But For me too, the priority is Formula E,” added the Belgian, who also holds the role of reserve and simulator driver for Aston Martin in Formula 1.
The final Formula E calendar will be presented to the World Motor Sport Council on 19 October, where it will be formally approved. At the moment, in fact, there are still slots to be assigned: 10 February, 24 February and 25 May. On the one hand we are working with the FIA to understand how to move the calendar to avoid coinciding with the WEC, on the other we are working with the organizers to understand the margins for bringing the world championship to certain locations.
Formula E is working closely with Indian promoters to confirm the Hyderabad E-Prix, although there is a risk that the deal will not go through. Furthermore, the question of South Africa also remains open, with the country wishing to confirm its presence on the calendar for the second consecutive season.
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