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Fuji requests WEC date change to avoid Fernando Alonso F1 clash

The date of the Fuji round of the 2018/19 World Endurance Championship superseason could be changed in order to allow new Toyota signing Fernando Alonso to race there.

Autosport understands the Toyota-owned Fuji Speedway has requested that the date of the race shifts from October 21 to October 14, so it does not clash with Formula 1's United States Grand Prix.

Moving that would ensure Alonso, who has signed up to race with Toyota for all the WEC rounds in 2018 that do not clash with his McLaren F1 commitments, could contest the Fuji event.

The round is currently the only one that clashes with a grand prix.

Shifting the Japanese round a week in the other direction would mean it clashed with the Mexican Grand Prix as well as the finale of the Super Formula championship and the Japanese World Touring Car Cup round at Suzuka.

WEC originally changed the date for the Fuji race when it issued a revised calendar last September in order to avoid a clash with the Petit Le Mans IMSA SportsCar Championship round.

Returning Fuji to the October 14 date would cause problems for the full-time WEC drivers that had planned to contest the Road Atlanta race.

A WEC spokesperson would not comment on a potential change when contacted by Autosport.

Any changes to the WEC calendar are subject to FIA approval.

Zdroj: autosport.com