Endurance racing in Austin: An American ‘homecoming’ for motorsports fans

‍

As the Ferrari barreled down the track in P1 with just two laps to go, the Toyota of Nyck De Vries, Kamui Kobayashi, and Mike Conway chased close behind.

The entire Ferrari outfit fought hard throughout the race to maintain what was now a two second lead, and their car was holding up.

‍

10K meters...

Eyes in garages and grandstands are fixated as the Number 7 Toyota loses control for a split second... they ran wide.

‍

6K meters...

The gap is nearly three seconds. Ferrari must keep this pace.

‍

1K meters...

The gap is disappearing. One mistake will cost Ferrari everything.

‍

100 meters...

The checkered flag waves, the grandstand erupts, and the Ferrari swerves in celebration down the main straight. P1!

‍

It was - in simplest terms - a Ferrari Sunday

While hours earlier Charles Leclerc won the Italian Grand Prix in his Ferrari, it was the #83 AF Corse crossing the finish line at the Circuit of the Americas that had Ferrari captivating endurance racing fans worldwide.

The 6th round of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), Lone Star Le Mans had played out over a thrilling three days, culminating with a six-hour spectacle under the grueling gaze of the Austin summer sun.

COTA is the only U.S. stop on the WEC calendar. So, naturally, this race is held at an iconic, purpose-built track that is a favorite among motorsports fans thanks to regular Formula 1, MotoGP, and NASCAR races, among other series.

Despite its popularity, WEC had not raced at COTA since 2020.

With this endurance racing series back in Texas for the first time in four years, and the opportunity to attend with Porsche Penske Motorsport, I jumped at the opportunity... and BOY am I glad that I did.

The weekend felt like a ‘homecoming’ of sorts for motorsports fans new and old, alike.

‍

What is a typical World Endurance Championship (WEC) weekend like? How’s it different from Formula 1 or IndyCar?

‍

I landed in Austin on Thursday, one day before the weekend was set to begin. As a Formula 1 and IndyCar fan, I knew the weekend format is similar:

1. Friday is reserved for practice runs.
2. Saturday is a mix of practice and qualifying.
3. Sunday is race day.

‍

Beneath the surface, things quickly become more complex...

‍

What's the race length?

WEC races are entirely based on TIME. The most famous endurance race, of course, is the 24 Hours of Le Mans - which requires the same car to run for 24 hours around the circuit. In the case of Lone Star Le Mans, the race length is only 6 hours, but for 2024 that meant 183 laps around the circuit. Running the car for that time and distance is extremely taxing.

‍

What are stints?

To mitigate the physical and mental demands placed on drivers, teams actively change drivers during the race. Each car in the World Endurance Championship has 3 drivers that pilot the car during the race for their stint.

Pit stops are used to manage these driver changes. Similar to IndyCar, during a pit stop the car will refuel and swap tires. Unlike IndyCar, the team may also SWAP DRIVERS. In a six hour race, teams pit roughly once per hour with a driver change every second stop.

Getting people in and out of the car for their stint, and accounting for three unique driving styles, is an additional layer of complexity that makes endurance racing that much more exciting.

‍

How are tire strategies handled?

Unlike Formula 1 which requires teams to use the same compound for all four tires, WEC allows teams to use any combination of compounds within their allocation. That means you may see cars running a mix of compounds in the front and back of the car. All of this is done to minimize tire wear and thus maintain grip depending on how they believe the circuit layout will impact them.

‍

What about the cars and teams?

‍

Drivers always matter, but in WEC the team is an even greater factor...

• The setup has to be PERFECT because the car runs for such a long duration
• There are many more pit stops than an IndyCar or F1 race, so every second and detail matters

That said, there are MANY more car entries in WEC than other series - with many teams entering 2 cars each with their own teams of drivers.

The starting line-ups can often include more than thirty cars in up to three different categories.

1. Teams generally field 1 - 2 cars. Some teams are directly tied to car manufacturers, while others - called 'privateers' - are not
2. The car entries at Lone Star Le Mans came in two varieties: Hypercar and LMGT3. This season at 24 hours of Le Mans included a third classes of car: LMP2
3. There were 36 car entries at COTA: 18 Hypercars and 18 LMGT3

‍

How is a race winner determined?

WEC is ALL about longevity and strategy. The winner of every race is the car which covers the most distance in six, eight, or twenty-four hours depending on the race. Simply put, whoever has done the most laps and is furthest along the track when the checkered flag drops is the winner. Generally, that directly translates to the timing sheets with the Lone Star Le Mans being decided by under 2 seconds after 183 laps!

While the fastest car category on track - the Hypercar - is the overall race winner, there is actually a winner for each car entry category. For Lone Star Le Mans, Heart of Racing Team Car #27 won in the LMGT3 category with 164 completed laps!

As a fan it is admittedly very difficult to visually follow the cars on track and KNOW who is winning, so you must rely on timing boards / screens or online data.

‍

What makes endurance racing special?

‍

Throughout the weekend, I had countless conversations with fans, teams, and track staff. Nearly every single person I spoke to had a different opinion of what makes endurance racing special.

For me, it came down to one word: persistence.

I was in awe of how hard WEC teams push themselves, their cars, and their equipment to the absolute limits for hours on end. Of course, that time is ON TOP of the days of set up and testing before the race itself. It’s easy to dismiss the effort from home given “endurance” is in the name, but being on the ground gives you a true appreciation for the sheer willpower and camaraderie required to compete at this level.

You can see it in the teams’ faces as mechanics, engineers, and drivers alike focus intently on timing sheets and prepare for yet another high-pressure pit stop in the heat of the Texas sun and their fireproof race suits. WEC is NOT for the weak.

‍Want to know what it’s like to race for six hours straight? We went Inside: Porsche Penske Motorsport to hear from the team directly.

‍

Why do other fans love endurance racing?

‍

Isabella and Kaleigh, Lousiana

Isabella and Kaleigh are two friends who drove their own ‘endurance race’ of sorts from Louisiana (it took them 8 hours) to catch the Lone Star Le Mans. They attended Formula 1 in Miami before and were drawn to endurance racing by its level of competition.

“It’s so competitive. We haven’t been able to guess [the podium] yet.”

‍

Rooting for Alpine and Cadillac, respectively, they were glowing about the weekend and the opportunity to see their teams fight for the win. They even made a game of it, using engine cues to guess which car would round the corner next.

‍

“[The Cadillac] sounds so good. Oh my gosh… every time it goes by!”

‍

Grace, South Dakota

Grace, a mechanical engineering student, traveled all the way from South Dakota, drawn by the community and access.

“It’s such a large-scale event but everybody is just so kind, caring, and understanding. We’re all here for the same reason: we love to watch cars go fast. We just want to all have that experience.”

‍

She spent the weekend with her family much like countless other fans: taking advantage of the access and warmth of the paddock to go behind-the-scenes in team garages and scoring driver autographs early mornings and during pit walks. Nyck de Vries’ signature was scribbled across his own forehead on the cutout she made.

‍

Jarrett and Charnelle, Maryland

Jarrett and Charnelle flew from Maryland sporting Lewis Hamilton jerseys and a camera bag full of telephoto lenses to capture that perfect shot. They shared the same sentiment as they queued for the pit walk:

“We’ve had tickets for this whole weekend and it’s been more lax than [during the USGP]. We’ve been getting really good pictures. Just the fact that we’re able to go and find places [to shoot] has been really nice.”

A long-time sports car racing fan, Jarrett nodded in agreement.

‍

“The open hospitality for sports car racing is a lot nicer.”

‍

Why should motorsports fans attend the World Endurance Championship at COTA?

‍

The track

As an American motorsports fan, being at COTA for WEC felt like a homecoming of sorts…

For starters, the track itself is iconic. The observation deck towers over Turns 15-19, the U.S. and Texas flags wave proud, and stars and stripes line every inch of asphalt. It's synonymous with American motorsports culture, at least among Formula 1 fans, and not just because ‘Americas’ is featured prominently in the name. It's been the home of Formula 1's United States GP since 2012.

Now, add in the fact that the Circuit of the Americas is purpose-built to house thousands and thousands of fans as the southern heart of racing in America. The facilities are designed so fans can enjoy their experience on and off the track; security on WEC weekends is more relaxed leading to greater fan mobility around the circuit grounds; and the track itself is built to challenge drivers creating more exciting moments for spectators.

When you blend that familiarity with the level of access it feels like being back at college for a homecoming game.

‍

Teams and drivers

Even if you're simply a racing fan and not engrained in the World Endurance Championship, there will be names you recognize!

Porsche, Alpine, McLaren, Ferrari, BMW, Aston Martin

... AND drivers with careers spanning numerous series

Jenson Button, Nyck de Vries, and Mick Schumacher just to name a few.

‍

Fan experience and access

‍

The magic of COTA isn't just limited to the race-related action itself. As with any other race at the circuit, there are carnival rides and concerts throughout the Lone Star Le Mans weekend for ticketholders.

For those focused on the cars, fans I spoke with praised the level of access throughout the entire weekend:

1. Lone Star Le Mans is much more affordable than other races - even down to $40 Paddock access.
   ‍
2. The pit walk was open to fans and you could get up close and personal to drivers, teams, and cars! Everyone happily signed autographs and posed for photos. All of the fans left with GIANT smiles and hauls of signed photos and team flags - very reminiscent of a winning Halloween trick-or-treat haul.
   ‍
3. Fans with General Admission can sit in any available grandstands, including the main straight. With numerous practice sessions, a qualifying, a race, and support series, there was no shortage of options to watch the action from around the track and find the perfect spots to use that new telescopic camera lens.

‍

Amy, Amanda, and Kane, WEC first-timers, race pro's

‍

“Just having access to the track. [Circuit of the Americas] is an insane track. Just being able to walk everywhere and see everything is really, really cool!”

‍

These three fans, who have attended numerous motorsports races including F1, IMSA, and IndyCar, stressed that they didn’t feel any pressure to be stuck in their seats and instead could take advantage of everything around the track.

‍

“The drivers are really approachable. You can just walk up to them which is really amazing!”

‍

Grace, Women in Motorsports North America

‍

Grace attended with Women in Motorsports North America, had already watched FP3 with Alpine and toured Toyota’s garage before Sunday even began. She had a plan in place to soak up every second of the 6-hour race, traveling to different grandstands around the track and even watching from the observation tower.

She felt welcomed by the drivers and teams. It’s the same feeling I had when speaking with everyone on the Porsche Penske team.

‍

What does it cost to attend a WEC race?

‍

In Austin there are two primary tiers: General Admission (GA) and Hospitality.

‍

General Admission (GA)

‍WEC races are more affordable than other race types at COTA - a GA ticket started at $69.

The beauty of a GA ticket at WEC is that you can sit anywhere around the circuit, including the main grandstand with sweeping views of the main straight and the team garages.

‍Paddock Pass

‍An add-on for standard ticket holders, this $40 upgrade is a must-do. With it you are able to freely access the paddock area where you can peak into team garages, brush shoulders with drivers and other WEC personalities, and access special pit walks for autographs and selfies.

There are even dedicated food options and facilities to make your day much more pleasant.

‍

Le Mans Spirit Club

‍WEC’s equivalent of Formula 1’s ‘Paddock Club’ - the Le Mans Spirit Club guests have access to a high-end lounge, dedicated seating above the team garages, and even the grid walk where cars are on-track waiting for the race to begin.

They’re well cared for and have access to private parking, making the weekend as effortless as possible.

Tickets start around $800 for access only during qualifying and go as high as ~$1,800 for both qualifying and the race. Every ticket included three days of paddock access.

‍

My best advice for attending the Lone Star Le Mans

‍

1. Get the paddock pass upgrade - You get to see the teams in action and attend the pit walks. This is what you’re there for!
   ‍
2. Plan your transportation in advance - There are no shuttles from downtown to the circuit as is the norm for the Formula 1 weekend! Buy a parking pass for your car or use rideshare apps. Either way, the traffic to and from the circuit was very manageable (no hour or more wait like F1).
   1. Rideshare pro-tip: You can schedule pickup from a designated lot or walk just outside the circuit grounds and drop a pin.
3. Explore every inch of the circuit - It’s becoming rarer and rarer that circuits offer ‘roaming grandstand’ ticket options, at least for F1 races. Thankfully COTA keeps seating open for WEC, making it an excellent way to explore the entire circuit. Take advantage of it!
   ‍
4. Bring a water bottle and sunscreen - It’s essential in the Texas heat and even more so during an endurance race, as fan areas are sparser than during busier F1 weekends and the sessions are longer (a 6 hour race in the direct sun is tough)!
   ‍
5. Practice your photography skills - This is your weekend to shoot from the main grandstand, to find the perfect angle at the top of turn 1, or to discover a new vantage point. Bonus points for capturing the variety of cars on track.

‍

The energy, the access, the perseverance! The World Endurance Championship Round 6 at COTA - the one and only Lone Star Le Mans - has it all! If you're a motorsports fan then it should absolutely be on your bucket list.

Want to learn about our experience with Porsche Penske? Read our behind-the-scenes coverage.

To access the premier motorsports community and stay up-to-date on everything happening on-track, be sure to download FanAmp.