Anthony Davidson's 2023 WEC review: 'I've never seen anything like it'
Le Mans News
The momentous 2023 World Endurance Championship provided both historic motor sport moments and brilliant racing action in equal measure – WEC champion Anthony Davidson analyses the season
After years of build-up and anticipation, 2023 really was the year that the World Endurance Championship finally took flight again – the Hypercar class expanded, meaning that Ferrari, Porsche and Cadillac joined Toyota and Peugeot at the front, as well as independents Vanwall and Glickenhaus.
It all culminated in a highly entertaining championship and breathtaking Le Mans 24 Hours – as 2014 WEC champion and TV analyst Anthony Davidson tells Motor Sport in his expert review of the season.
He highlights the best driver crews in each category – not always going for the champions – favourite moments of the season and the dark horses that could spring a surprise in 2024.
No7 driver crew is Davidson’s pick for Hypercar team of the year
Toyota
Though the attention has been on the whole of burgeoning Hypercar class, the sharper end of WEC 2023 really has been a tale of two teams: Ferrari at Le Sarthe, and Toyota through the rest of the season.
Though the No8 Japanese car of Brendon Hartley, Sébastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa took the title, Davidson points to another squad for his crew of the year – one that perhaps would have be crowned champions were it not for ill fortune.
“That is a really tough one, but I always thought the No7 Toyota crew this year was pretty formidable,” he says.
“Those guys were phenomenal this year, winning four races. They also had two that got away from them: in Portimao when an FIA torque sensor failed, putting them out the race just as they were flying and on course for victory. The same then happened at Le Mans when Kobayashi got wiped out by a GT car.
“He was always strong in qualifying too, picking up three poles.
“Those performances maybe makes it a bit of a surprise that José Maria Lopez has been dropped for Nyck De Vries.
“He started off a bit shaky at Sebring, and I think that probably is what Toyota is looking at – on top of last year’s Sebring disaster during the race [when the Argentinian crashed out].
“Brendon Hartley was also brilliant in the No8 sister car, taking two poles, and his crew are champions this year so obviously deserve some plaudits.”
Despite the top two spots being occupied by the GR010 Hybrid, Davidson says some plaudits need to go to the Scuderia’s efforts too.
“Looking at Ferrari, you have to say on average the No50 car crew – Fuoco, Molina and Nielsen – consistently had the speed throughout the course of the year.
“They started with a bang getting pole position in Sebring. It was from that moment we knew we were in for something special in 2023. It was spectacular and raised more than a few eyebrows.”
As the top LMP1 and then Hypercar division has struggled for entrants and competition in recent seasons – only truly starting to rally again this year – the second tier LMP2 class became the race to watch for pure on-track thrills.
Though each race has been intense in its own right, over the course of the ’23 title fight one team pulled clear to claim the crown – making it our WEC expert’s choice.
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“The No41 WRT was always quick – the team has have the deserving position of running the works LMDh BMWs next year,” Davidson says.
“That faith [from the German manufacturer] just goes to show that LMP2 teams can enter the top class and be competitive straightaway, like Jota too [running one LMDh Porsche 963 in 2023, with another set to join for 2024].
“These teams take it to the Nth degree in terms of professionalism and competitiveness – it’s always impressive to see.”
With long races meaning contests can turn into endurance rollercoaster rides, WEC can throw up some surprise winners – as evidenced at La Sarthe this year.
“We can’t forget Inter Europol,” says Davidson. “With all due respect its Le Mans win was a shock, especially after Fabio Scherer had his foot run over in a pitstop!”
Iron Dames took a historic win in Bahrain – the first ever for an all-female crew in WEC
Getty Images
This year sees the final chapter of the highly competitive LMGTE category, with WEC switching to GT3 machinery from 2024. The class still delivered on its swansong though, with intense battling seen through the season.
Though the Corvette trio of Nicky Catsburg, Nicolas Varrone and the evergreen Ben Keating would take top honours, Davidson picks out a different crew as his top GT chargers of 2023.
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“The Iron Dames were always a joy to watch,” he enthuses. “They had a cracking season and ended with a historic win, as the first for an all-female car crew in a world championship event.
“For them to stand on the top step was was really something special – remarkable.
“Sarah Bovy – I can’t even remember how many pole positions she had [four], but it was always a great fight with her and the Corvette of Ben Keating, who is a formidable bronze driver.
“I don’t really hang on the fact that the Iron Dames are a female car crew for me, they were just exciting to watch. But you have to remember that they are there flying the flag for females in motor sport.
“And we can’t ignore Lilou Wadoux, who became this year the first ever female to win an FIA World endurance race, and Doriane Pin, who has been another standout in LMP2.”
2023 WEC moment of the year – Ferrari’s comeback win at Le Mans
Ferrari would claim a momentous victory at its Le Mans comeback after 50 years
WEC
Though Toyotas ultimately dominated title proceedings, WEC’s blue riband race went rather differently.
The most highly anticipated Le Mans in years, the idea of Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota, Cadillac and Peugeot fighting it out at the front clearly got the fans interested – the event sold out months before the race.
A Balance of Performance change prior to Le Mans provided a more level playing field at the front, seemingly giving Ferrari a chance to snatch glory from the Japanese team. That it did, the race climaxing with Hirakawa spinning out just a few laps from the end while in purusit of the leading Ferrari.
Davidson emphasises that the seismic event, combined with the No51 Ferrari of James Calado, Antonio Giovanazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi coming home first after a breathless 24 hours – on the Scuderia’s comeback following 50 years away from the top of sports car racing – makes it his moment of the year.
“It has to be the No51 Ferrari win at Le Mans,” he admits. “At that particular race it was head and shoulders above the sister car – and so enjoyable to watch. They were just perfect, as a car crew and with the team as well.
“They weren’t really on it for the rest of the year, really had their ups and downs, but in that one event – they pulled it off! Faultless.
“In all honesty, I’ve never seen anything like that race. There was one moment when I was commentating, about two and a half hours in, and the way the action was unfolding because of a safety car, we had the top ten cars covered by 1.5-2sec!
“It was lap after lap of lead of position changes – I remember thinking, ‘I’m not sure I can do this for 24 hours.’ And I’ve never felt like that.
“It highlighted just how special the event was as a whole – everyone stepped up.”
2023 non-Le Mans Moment of the year
No50 Ferrari of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nilesan take pole on debut at Sebring
Ferrari announced itself with pole at Sebring
WEC
“Sebring set the scene for the year, starting with that Ferrari pole. We were all expecting Toyota just to do what they usually do: rock up and win.
“We thought they’d just show the rest how it’s done. Its operation is so slick, so professional. The Scuderia went quickest in qualifying, but then the way the race unfolded meant Toyota’s supremacy did ultimately come to light. Ferrari tripped over in the pits and with regulations, just silly little things.
“However, you could see that it was was very serious from word go in its approach and continued to hone that throughout the season, peaking at Le Mans.
“Sebring announced the championship for me, the Italian team on pole with its beautiful car – it’s great having it there as part of the championship.”
2024 WEC / Le Mans dark horse(s)
Peugeot / Alpine
Peugeot has struggled thus far in Hypercar – but Davidson backs the French marque to progress in 2024
WEC
While Toyota and Ferrari have soaked up all the adulation at the front, there’s been struggle and strife for some competitors further down the order.
No more so than at Peugeot, which entered WEC last year to much fanfare with its outlandish 9X8 ground-effect car, but has since struggled to make headway in terms of performance.
However Davidson, who took seven top-level sports car race wins for Peugeot when it previously competed in endurance racing, has faith the outfit can find a way back.
“The Hypercar category gives you an opportunity to run cars that look very different to one another, and the 9X8 looked stunning,” he says. “However the Peugeot has had a really difficult year, fundamentally their car hasn’t worked.
“But I’m expecting them to really turn things around next year. A lot of your design work, especially aerodynamics, is locked in for the whole season [due to homologation rules]. Hopefully things they’ve learnt will be rectified next year – I’m hearing good noises from the team and others as well.”
Alpine – 2024’s dark horse?
Davidson points to a new challenger that could raise a few eyebrows in 2024 also.
“I’m excited to see the Oreca chassis [to be used by Alpine-Signatech LMDh team] out there as well in the mix,” he points out. “I feel the team could have a really strong couple of car crews.
“They’re one of the best LMP2 teams, they’ve been in LMP1 before – and now it’s coming to Hypercar. French chassis, French team, French drivers – there’s a real connection and experience there.
“It’s not as if Oreca is new to this chassis game. There’s a good reason every LMP2 team on the grid runs one of their chassis – there are other choices out there. Alpine could be a team that really springs a nice surprise.”
