The WEC has announced the new date for the 1,812-kilometer race in Qatar—a “double-header” with Bahrain has been avoided despite the geographical proximity
The World Endurance Championship (WEC) race in Qatar will be rescheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026—provided the situation in the Middle East has calmed down by then. The race will continue to cover 1,812 kilometers (in honor of the national holiday on December 18) or end early after ten hours.
The WEC has set the new date for the race two weeks before the 8 Hours of Bahrain, which remains the season finale. This was important for the WEC to maintain the traditional setting for the season-ending celebration at the nearby luxury hotel in Zallaq.
By choosing October 24, the WEC avoids scheduling conflicts with other endurance series, but also avoids a back-to-back situation with Bahrain.
Other relevant series within the ACO universe conclude their seasons earlier: The IMSA SportsCar Championship finale is on October 3, and the ELMS finale on October 10.
Revised 2026 season calendar ️
The pre-season Prologue will now take place on April 14 in Imola, while the Qatar 1812km has been moved to October 22–24 and becomes the penultimate round of the season. WEC pic.twitter.com/Y7d8ejZAK3 — FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) March 13, 2026
The 1,812-kilometer race in Qatar will retain its three-day format. Two free practice sessions will therefore take place on Thursday, October 22, the third practice session and qualifying on Friday, October 23, and the race on Saturday, October 24. Due to the Islamic weekend, the WEC typically holds its races in the Middle East on Saturdays.Of course, the WEC confirms that the FIA, ACO, the Qatari motorsport federation QMMF, and the Lusail International Circuit will continue to “closely monitor” the situation.
At the moment, there is little to suggest an imminent end to the military conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, which has also drawn all Gulf states into the crisis.Iranian drones and missiles continue to threaten civilian infrastructure in all countries on the Arabian Peninsula.
Due to the war, further cancellations in motorsports in the region are expected, most notably the Formula 1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (April 12 and 19) as well as the MotoGP race in Qatar (April 12).