World Endurance Championship adds Bahrain round as eight-race calendar announced

The world championship, which has grown out of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, is effectively increasing from seven to eight races with the addition of an event in the Middle East. The October date in Bahrain joins two races each on the European, American and Asian continents that form the WEC around the Le Mans 24 Hours.

WEC general manager Gerard Neveau said: "The possibility was there to go to the Middle East and we should not forget that some of our teams consider it very important because their sponsors or partners come from there."

The WEC will start, as already announced, with the Sebring 12 Hours in March. The British fixture at Silverstone moves forward from September to August after which the championship will visit Interlagos in Brazil, which means there is no place on the calendar for Petit Le Mans in the US.

Neveau explained that taking the WEC to South America and Japan were the two main targets in 2012 for the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, which promotes the championship. The Japanese date will be taken by Fuji, which is owned by Toyota.

The series will climax in China with a round at either Zhuhai or Shanghai.

2012 WEC calendar

March 17        Sebring 12 Hours (USA)
May 5           Spa 6 Hours (B)
June 16-17      Le Mans 24 Hours (F)
August 25       Silverstone 6 Hours (GB)
September 16    Interlagos (BR)
September 30    Fuji 6 Hours (J)
October 20      Bahrain 6 Hours (BH)
November 11/18  China (TBC)