The FIA World Endurance Championship travels to Texas for the fourth edition of the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas on Saturday 17 September.  A grid of 31 cars, featuring six American drivers, will be competing in round 6 of the 2016 world championship at the 5.513km circuit near the city of Austin and is one of only three events that features racing under the stars.

The Lone Star Le Mans festival of racing will be run in partnership with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship to ensure a feast of racing for the famously knowledgeable and enthusiastic American race fans.

LMP1

The intensity of battle in LMP1 this season has surpassed even the level of 2015 where some of the closest fights in the modern era of endurance took place.  This season has seen an intense on-track competition between all three of the manufacturers at the head of the field – Audi, Porsche and Toyota.

So far Porsche has won all but one of the rounds but this fact is probably not an entirely fair reflection of how tight the action has been. The No.2 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Romain Dumas/Marc Lieb and Neel Jani has been by far the most consistent trio in the class this season and their point’s advantage is 41, over the No.6 Toyota trio of Conway, Sarrazin and Kobayashi, with four rounds remaining.

Audi will be keen to make up for the disappointment of the last three races where they have been in the hunt for victory but have been denied through misfortune. For COTA, Benoit Tréluyer makes a welcome return to the cockpit after missing two rounds after suffering injuries from a biking accident.

Toyota will be keen to return to the top step of the podium, but on high and medium downforce circuits at least they appear to have a deficit to make up on their two rivals. Anthony Davidson is expected to return to the No.5 TS 050 HYBRID at COTA after missing Mexico due to rib injuries sustained in a testing accident last month.

As well as the thrilling LMP1-H (Hybrid) runners there will also be the LMP1-Privateer duo of Rebellion Racing and ByKolles to fight it out for vital points towards the title campaign.

LMP2 – Home interest runs high

The popular LMP2 class has also seen battles galore in 2016 but it has been the Signatech Alpine squad of American Gustavo Menezes, France’s Nico Lapierre and Monaco’s Stephane Richelmi that have built an impressive point’s advantage.

The reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 champions have won three of the five races and finished the other two with good point’s scores to hold a 33-point lead going in to COTA.

Behind the leaders come 6 Hours of Mexico winners RGR Sport and their patriotically liveried Ligier JS P2-Nissan. Ricardo Gonzalez/Bruno Senna and Filipe Albuquerque were the toast of Mexico last weekend after beating the no36 Signatch Alpine crew to the finish line to win at home and they will be aiming to channel that momentum in to another class win at COTA.

The Tequila Patrón Extreme Speed ​​Motorsports team provides home cheer for American fans at as two of the distinctive Ligier JS P2-Nissan cars are entered. The No.31 car driven by Pipo Derani, Ryan Dalziel and Chris Cumming has scored four well-earned podium positions this season which has kept the team in touch at the front of the points table. The second ESM car features an all-American line-up with Scott Sharp, Ed Brown and Johannes van Overbeek.

Former F1 racer Roberto Merhi is set to return for the Manor team in LMP2 after missing the last round in Mexico.

LMGTE classes pack a punch

All eyes will be on Ford at COTA as the Blue Oval gets ready for its home race in the 2016 FIA WEC campaign.

After a sensational return to top levels endurance racing by winning Le Mans in June, Ford has remained in contention for the FIA World Endurance Cup for GT Drivers with Oliver Pla and Stefan Mücke just 13.5 points behind the leaders in what is turning out to be one of the tightest LMGTE Pro championships ever.

The Ford and Ferrari fight has been an entertaining narrative through the whole 2016 WEC season and it is expected to get even more intense at COTA. The new Ferrari 488 GTE has proven itself to be a winner from the get-go with victories for Sam Bird, and Davide Rigon at Silverstone and Spa, and a well-earned win for Gianmaria Bruni and James Calado at Nürbrgring.

Aston Martin arrive in Texas with significant momentum behind them as Darren Turner heads the standings after a fine win with teammate Richie Stanaway in Mexico. Aston Martin’s return to the winners circle for the first time in over 18 months means came at an opportune time for a late title challenge.

Turner will race with yet another teammate as popular Brazilian Fernando Rees returns to the cockpit for the first time since Le Mans.

Support for Porsche is always strong in the US and the Dempsey Proton 911 RSR of reigning champion Richard Lietz and teammate Michael Christensen should not be discounted.

There are three more Porsche’s in the LMGTE Am category and each is capable of mounting a race winning performance with KCMG, Abu Dhabi-Proton and Gulf Racing all entered.

A change in the entry list for COTA sees Kevin Estre drafted in to the race winning Abu-Dhabi Racing squad as replacement for Pat Long. American interest in LMGTE Am will come from Ricky Taylor who takes in the second of three races for the Larbre Competition team and their rumbling Chevrolet Corvette C7.

The title stakes will be on everyone’s mind in LMGTE Am as the Abu Dhabi drivers close in on long-time point’s leaders Emmanuel Collard, Francois Perrodo and Rui Aguas after securing their debut win in Mexico last time out.

The track action gets underway on Thursday 15th September with two 90-minute Free Practice sessions. A further FP session will be held on Friday afternoon before the evening qualifying sessions are scheduled to begin at 17.45 local time.

The sixth round of the 2016 FIA WEC will begin at 17.00 local time and race into the night, setting the scene for a dazzling backdrop to an action-packed weekend of endurance racing.

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