Opinion: Why the WEC can't celebrate Rebellion's win

Rebellion broke Toyota's stranglehold on the WEC at Shanghai, but the series just swapped domination by one car for domination by another. The LMP1 success handicaps are creating variety but not decent racing, says Gary Watkins.

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At last, a victory by someone other than Toyota in the FIA World Endurance Championship! But was Rebellion Racing's win in Shanghai last weekend really what the series needed? Yes and no is my answer to that one.

Yes, because an unbroken run of victories for the Japanese manufacturer stretching back more than a year has been sucking the life out of the WEC. No, because the series doesn't require a dominant win by one team simply being transposed with an equally dominant victory by another. That's what we got over four hours of racing around the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday.

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Author Gary Watkins

Gary Watkins has, for reasons best known to himself, devoted all his working life to covering sportscar racing. This season is his 32nd as a motorsport journalist, during which time he has reported on major long-distance events on four continents and approaching 75 24-hour races. He reckons a degree in political philosophy makes him well qualified for covering the sometimes Machiavellian world of international sportscars.

Gary, who also writes for Autoweek, Motor Sport, Autocourse, RACER and others, lives in Surbiton but spends more time on the road than at home for most of the year.