The 1983 World Endurance Championship was the 31st season of FIA World Sportscar Championship auto racing series. It featured the two world championships and two cups for drivers and manufacturers which was contested by Group C Sports Cars, Group C Junior Sports Cars and Group B GT Cars in a seven race events which ran from 10 April to 10 December 1983.Quentin Spurring, Growing in Stature, Autosport Endurance Racing Review (1983) The World Endurance Championship for Drivers was won by Jacky Ickx while the World Endurance Championship for Manufacturers was won by Porsche. The Group C Junior Cup was won by Giannini Alba and the Grand Touring Cup by Porsche.
The world championship was held in conjunction with the 1983 European Endurance Championship, sharing five races events in Europe before the series departed internationally. As such, many drivers and teams competed in both championships.
Schedule All events covered a distance of with exception of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first five events were shared with the European Endurance Championship. The Monza round was shared with the Italian Championship Group 6, although their race lasted only 14 laps and the cars did not complete the full endurance race distance. Round Race Circuit Date 1 Trofeo Filippo Caracciolo Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy 10 April 2 Grand Prix International 1000 km Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, United Kingdom 8 May 3 Bitburger ADAC-1000-km-Rennen Nürburgring, Nürburg, West Germany 29 May 4 24 Hours of Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France 18–19 June 5 Trophee Diners Club 1000 km Spa-Francorchamps Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium 4 September 6 World Endurance Championship in Japan Fuji Speedway, Oyama, Japan 2 October 7 Castrol 1000 Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Midrand, South Africa 10 December
Entries Group C Entrant Car Engine Tyre Drivers Rounds Rothmans Porsche Porsche 956 Porsche Type-935/76 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 1 Jacky Ickx All Jochen Mass 1–3, 5–7 Derek Bell 4 2 Derek Bell 1–3, 5–7 Al Holbert 1 Stefan Bellof 2–7 Jochen Mass 4 Rothmans Porsche Matsuda Collection 3 Vern Schuppan 4, 7 Al Holbert 4, 7 Hurley Haywood 4 Thierry Boutsen 6 Henri Pescarolo 6 Martini Racing Lancia LC2/83 Ferrari 268C 2.6 L Turbo V8 4 Michele Alboreto 1–4 Riccardo Patrese 1–3, 5, 7 Teo Fabi 4–5 Alessandro Nannini 4, 7 5 Piercarlo Ghinzani 1–2, 4–5, 7 Teo Fabi 1–2, 4–5 Hans Heyer 4, 7 Michele Alboreto 5 Giorgio Pianta 7 6 Alessandro Nannini 4 Paolo Barilla 4 Jean-Claude Andruet 4 Euro TV-Mirabella Racing Lancia LC2/83 Ferrari 268C 2.6 L Turbo V8 6 Giorgio Francia 3, 5 Paolo Barilla 3, 5 Piercarlo Ghinzani 3 Trust Racing Team Porsche 956 Porsche Type-935/76 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 6 Vern Schuppan 6 Naohiro Fujita 6 Sorga S.A. Porsche 956 Porsche Type-935/76 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 811 Bob Wollek 1–5, 7 Thierry Boutsen 1 Stefan Johansson 2–5, 7 Klaus Ludwig 4 Chico Serra 7 12 Clemens Schickentanz 1–2, 4 Hans Heyer 1–2, 5–6 Rolf Stommelen 1 Volkert Merl 2, 4–6 Mauricio DeNarvaez 4 Bob Wollek 5–7 Dieter Schornstein 7 "John Winter" 7 Joest Racing Porsche 936C Porsche Type-935 2.7 L Turbo Flat-6 15 Jean-Michel Martin 2, 4–5 Marc Duez 2, 4 Philippe Martin 2, 4 "John Winter" 5 Dieter Schornstein 5 Leopold von Bayern 7 Siegfried Brunn 7 Klaus Grögor 7 Hasemi Motorsport Nissan Skyline Turbo C Nissan LZ20B 2.0 L Turbo I4 10 Masahiro Hasemi 6 Kenji Tohira 6 John Fitzpatrick Racing Porsche 956 Porsche Type-935/76 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 1116 David Hobbs All John Fitzpatrick 1–6 Dieter Quester 4 Desiré Wilson 7 Thierry Boutsen 7 16 Guy Edwards 4 Rupert Keegan 4 John Fitzpatrick 4 Sarel van der Merwe 7 Tony Martin 7 Graham Duxbury 7 Henn's T-Bird Swap Shop Alpha Racing 4748 Preston Henn 2, 4, 6 Rupert Keegan 2 Guy Edwards 2 Jean-Louis Schlesser 4 Claude Ballot-Léna 4 John Paul Jr. 6 Kunimitsu Takahashi 6 Yves Courage Cougar C01B Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 13 Yves Courage 4 Michel Dubois 4 Alain de Cadenet 4 Canon Racing Team Gunston Porsche 956 Porsche Type-935/76 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 14 Jan Lammers 1–5, 7 Richard Lloyd 1–2, 4 Tiff Needell 1 Thierry Boutsen 2, 5 Jonathan Palmer 3–4, 7 Keke Rosberg 3 Mazdaspeed Mazda 717C Mazda 13B 1.3 L 2-rotor 16 Yojiro Terada 6 Takashi Yorino 6 Pierre Dieudonné 6 Tom's TOM'S 83C Toyota 4T-GTE 2.1 L Turbo I4 17 Keiji Matsumoto 6 Kaoru Hoshino 6 Masanori Sekiya 6 Boss-Obermaier Racing Porsche 956 Porsche Type-935/76 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 18 Axel Plankenhorn 1–5 Jürgen Lässig 1–5 Jürgen Barth 1 Harold Grohs 2 Hans Heyer 3 Desiré Wilson 4 Hervé Regout 5 Cooke Racing Lola T610 Ford Cosworth DFL 4.0 L V8 20 Ralph Kent-Cooke 4 Jim Adams 4 François Servanin 4 Central 20 Racing Team Nissan LM03C Nissan LZ20B 2.1 L Turbo I4 20 Takao Wada 6 Haruhito Yanagida 6 Porsche Kremer Racing Porsche 956 Porsche Type-935/76 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 21 Vern Schuppan 2 Alan Jones 2 Philippe Alliot 4, 6 Mario Andretti 4 Michael Andretti 4 Derek Warwick 5 Franz Konrad 5–6 Stefan Johansson 6 Kremer CK5 Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6 22 Derek Warwick 4 Frank Jelinski 4 Patrick Gaillard 4 Kees Kroesemeijer 5, 7 Huub Rothengatter 5 Franz Konrad 7 George Fouché 7 Hoshino Racing March 83G Nissan LZ20B 2.1 L Turbo I4 23 Kazuyoshi Hoshino 6 Akira Hagiwara 6 Ford France Rondeau M482 Ford Cosworth DFL 4.0 L V8 24 Henri Pescarolo 4 Thierry Boutsen 4 25 Philippe Streiff 4 Jean-Pierre Jaussaud 4 Michel Ferté 4 26 Jean Rondeau 4 Alain Ferté 4 Michel Ferté 4 Jean Rondeau Rondeau M379C Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 28 Anne-Charlotte Verney 4 Joël Gouhier 4 Vic Elford 4 Rondeau M382 Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 72 Xavier Lapeyre 4 Dany Snobeck 4 Alain Cudini 4 Christian Bussi Rondeau M382 Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 29 Pascal Witmeur 4 Daniël Herregods 4 Jean-Paul Libert 4 Pierre Yver Rondeau M382 Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 30 Pierre Yver 4 Lucien Guitteny 4 Bernard de Dryver 4 Brun Motorsport GmbH Porsche 956 Porsche Type-935/76 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 33835 Hans-Joachim Stuck 5, 7 Harald Grohs 5, 7 Walter Brun 5 Clemens Schickentanz 6 Kenji Takahashi 6 Massimo Sigala 7 Umberto Grano 7 Sehcar SH C6 Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 3536 Walter Brun 2–3 Hans-Joachim Stuck 2–3 Jacques Villeneuve, Sr. 4 Ludwig Heimrath Jr. 4 David Deacon 4 Sehcar C830 Porsche Type-935/76 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 37 Walter Brun 4 Hans-Joachim Stuck 4 Harald Grohs 4 Cheetah Car Cheetah G603 Ford Cosworth DFL 4.0 L V8 34 Loris Kessel 5 Laurent Ferrier 5 Jean-Pierre Jaussaud 5 Team Ikuzawa TOM'S 83C Toyota 4T-GTE 2.1 L Turbo I4 37 Geoff Lees 6 Derek Daly 6 Toshio Suzuki 6 Dome Racing Autobacs Dome Motorsport Dome RC82Dome RC83 Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 387 Chris Craft 4 Nick Mason 4 Eliseo Salazar 4 Eje Elgh 6 Tiff Needell 6 Viscount Downe with Pace Petroleum Nimrod NRA/C2B Aston Martin DP1229 5.3 L V8 39 Ray Mallock 2, 4–5 Mike Salmon 2, 4–5 Steve Earle 4 EMKA Productions Ltd. EMKA C83/1 Aston Martin 5.3 L V8 41 Tiff Needell 2, 4 Steve O'Rourke 2, 4 Jeff Allam 2 Nick Faure 4 Richard Cleare Racing Kremer CK5 Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6 4219 Richard Cleare 1–2, 4 Tony Dron 1–2, 4 Margie Smith-Haas 1 Richard Jones 4 Peer Racing Ford C100 Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 4310 Martin Birrane 4 David Kennedy 4 François Migault 4 Jägermeister Ford Zakspeed Team Zakspeed C1/4 Zakspeed 1.9 L Turbo I4 43 Klaus Niedzwiedz 5 Klaus Ludwig 5 Sauber Racing Switzerland Sauber C7 BMW M88 3.5 L I6 4746 Tony Garcia 4 Albert Naon 4 Diego Montoya 4 Fulvio Ballabio 6 Max Welti 6 Grid Motor Racing Ltd. Grid S1 Ford Cosworth DFL 4.0 L V8 4948 Dudley Wood 4 Fred Stiff 4 Ray Ratcliff 4 Sivama/Grifone Lancia LC1 Lancia 1.4 L Turbo I4 512257 Joe Castellano 1 Luigi Moreschi 1 Oscar Larrauri 2–4 Massimo Sigala 2–4 Max Cohen-Olivar 4 Pasquale Barberio 7 Mario Radicella 7 Maurizio Gellini 7 522358 Duilio Truffo 1–2 Roberto Sigala 1 Joe Castellano 2 Fausto Carello 7 Nicolo Bianco 7 A.S. École Superieure de Tourisme 53 François Hesnault 4 Thierry Perrier 4 Bernard Salam 4 François Duret De Cadenet LM Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 55 François Duret 2 Mike Wilds 2 Ian Harrower 2 Kannacher GT-Racing URD C81 BMW M88 3.5 L I6 5654 Anton Fischhaber 3 Rolf Gätz 3 Peter Kroeber 3 Bruno Sotty 4–5 Gérard Cuynet 4–5 Christian Baldino 4 Valentin Bertapelle 5 URD C83 Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6 57 Jürgen Kannacher 5 Wolfgang Boller 5 Walter Lechner 5 Maurizio Micangeli De Tomaso Pantera C Ford 5.7 L V8 2159 Carlo Pietromarchi 1 Maurizio Micangeli 1
Group C Junior Entrant Car Engine Tyre Drivers Rounds Mazdaspeed Mazda 717C Mazda 13B 1.3 L 2-Rotor 60 Yojiro Terada 2, 4 Pete Lovett 2 Yoshimi Katayama 4 Takashi Yorino 4 61 Jeff Allam 4 Steve Soper 4 James Weaver 4 Manns Racing Harrier RX83C Mazda 13B 1.3 L 2-Rotor 6251 Roy Baker 1–2, 4–5 Les Blackburn 1 David Palmer 2, 4–5 Pierre Honegger 4 Alpha Cubic Racing Team MCS Guppy Mazda 13B 1.3 L 2-Rotor 62 Chiyomi Totani 6 Taku Akaike 6 Jolly Club Vesuvio Racing SRL Alba AR2 Giannini 1.8 L Turbo I4 63 Carlo Facetti 2–6 Martino Finotto 2–6 Marco Vanoli 4, 7 Guido Daccò 7 64 Carlo Facetti 7 Martino Finotto 7 Massimo Faraci 7 Hubert Striebig Sthemo SM01 BMW M12 2.2 L I4 64 Hubert Striebig 4 Jacques Heuclin 4 Noël del Bello 4 François Duret De Cadenet LM Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 65 François Duret 4 John Sheldon 4 Ian Harrower 4 Auto Beaurex Motorsport Lotec M1C BMW M88 3.5 L I6 65 Keiichi Suzuki 6 Naoki Nagasaka 6 Kurt Lotterschmid 6 Rolf Götz Rieger CJ 84 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 66 Rolf Götz 7 Siegfried Rieger 7 Tiga Tiga SC83 Mazda 12A 1.1 L 2-rotor 67 Trevor von Rooyen 7 Peter Morrison 7 68 Wayne Taylor 7 Lew Baker 7 Misaki Speed MCS Guppy Toyota 4T-GT 2.1 L Turbo I4 81 Kiyoshi Misaki 6 Masakozu Nakamura 6 Panasport Japan MCS Guppy BMW M12 2.0 L I4 88 Aguri Suzuki 6 Toshio Motohashi 6
Group B The Nürburgring round allowed additional Group B entries meeting the under regulations to compete but they were not eligible for championship points and are therefore not listed here.