The GTE dilemma that IMSA has created for the WEC

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s decision to scrap its GT Le Mans class for 2022 raises the question of whether the FIA World Endurance Championship should phase out GTE cars. But it's a much harder decision than it appears on the surface.

Author Jamie Klein

Published Feb 3, 2021, 10:35 AM

Announced on Friday, IMSA’s decision to replace the ailing GTLM category with a new ‘GTD Pro’ class for GT3 cars came as no surprise, given that what was once a thriving arena for manufacturer competition is down to a single full-time works entrant in the form of Corvette following the exits of Ford, Porsche and BMW (except for the Michelin Endurance Cup).

Yes, a third full-time car in the form of WeatherTech Racing’s customer Porsche 911 RSR-19 was scrambled to at least prevent Corvette from merely having to race itself outside of the long-distance races, but the situation was clearly untenable. And IMSA deserves credit for taking a proactive approach instead of allowing GTLM to wither completely.

Author Jamie Klein

Jamie Klein is one of Motorsport.com’s Global News Editors, reporting primarily on the FIA World Endurance Championship, Super Formula and SUPER GT. He took his first steps into motorsport journalism in 2013 as a freelancer before joining Motorsport Network full-time in 2015 as UK Editor. In 2016, he moved into a more wide-ranging role as he became a regular in the paddocks of the WEC and MotoGP. After a two-month trip to Japan in late 2018 gave him his first taste of reporting live on Super Formula and SUPER GT, he made the move to Tokyo permanently in 2019, and has been a regular presence in both paddocks since 2020. Away from motorsport, he is studying the Japanese language and can often be found relaxing in an ‘onsen’ (hot spring) or gorging on ramen, occasionally at the same time. He can be found on Twitter at @JamieKlein_.