The interest in the World Endurance Championship has been growing substantially amongst several manufacturers.
This has been made apparent by the 2024 season, with BMW, Alpine, Lamborghini, AF Corse – Ferrari’s non-factory team – and Isotta Fraschini all joining the WEC Hypercar class this year, although the latter pulled out of the championship after just five races.
The championship is subsequently seeing great competition among the teams, and more are expected to join the WEC in the years to come.
Aston Martin are set to enter the category with their Adrian Newey-inspired Valkyrie in 2025, under the Heart of Racing team.
It was also confirmed that Hyundai are set to enter endurance racing with their Genesis branding as they work on their own LMDh machine. The team have not confirmed which championship they will compete in, but reports suggest they could join the WEC as early as 2026.
Rodin Motorsport are in discussions with ‘multiple’ brands as they plot to join the WEC
Now, according to Graham Goodwin on the Marshall Pruett Podcast, another team has been spotted around the paddock as they plan to enter the championship as well.
READ MORE: The ‘epic’ moment Mick Schumacher produced at COTA that ‘properly’ showed what he can do in WEC
The team in question is Rodin Motorsport, who currently compete in junior formula category such as Formula 2, Formula 3, F4 and the GB3 Championship.
Formerly known as Carlin before owner Trevor Carlin left in 2023, the team have previously competed in sportscar racing, taking part in the European Le Mans Series in 2019.
And Goodwin claims that the team are looking to return in the near future as they hold discussions with multiple brands over a WEC programme.
“Rodin Motorsport, nee Carlin, so now bought by the New Zealand operation. [I] did spot their founder making his way up and down the paddock on Thursday at Fuji, didn’t see him after that,” he said.
“But [I] am aware, having spoken to a number of people in the paddock, that they are in an active search for a car.
“No I’m not yet going to go into the brands that were spoken to, but those brands were multiple and it was more than two. This is a team looking for a car and a programme to put together.
“Rodin [are] operating up to including F2 at the moment and are rumoured to be looking at IndyCar as well.
“So, is this WEC? At the moment I believe that’s where their preferred programme would be. Might they go to IMSA? They might.”
Rodin Motorsport are also looking at joining IndyCar
Like Hyundai, Rodin have not confirmed when or if they will join the WEC or IMSA, but it is expected that they will compete in both series concurrently.
READ MORE: Bruno Famin outlines Alpine’s WEC testing plans for 2025 amid Formula 1 engine uncertainty
The team look to have exciting plans for the future, as they plot to join IndyCar as well as the WEC. They made their debut in 2018 under their Carlin name with drivers Max Chilton and Charlie Kimball.
The 2018 season marked the team’s debut in a non-junior open-wheel category. However, after just three seasons, Carlin pulled out of the series and its assets were sold to Juncos Hollinger Racing.
Rodin have enjoyed great success in junior categories under the Carlin name, and will be looking to replicate that in the series they are striving to enter.