The WEC announces the postponement of its round in Qatar

Following the events that have unfolded since this weekend in the Middle East, and particularly in Qatar, which has been targeted by several Iranian missile strikes, the World Championship ofEndurance had no choice but to postpone the first round of the season, which was scheduled for March 28, five days after the end of the Prologue, the traditional pre-season testing session of the WEC.

The 2026 season will therefore begin in Imola on April 19th. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) have not yet confirmed the rescheduled date for the 1812km Qatar Grand Prix, as the situation in the Middle East remains difficult to assess.

“The 1812km of Qatar are an integral part of the FIA ​​WEC calendar, and I would like to sincerely thank the Losail International Circuit and the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation for their close collaboration.”, said Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the FIA ​​WEC. “We have all been working hand in hand since Saturday morning to find the best solution for organizing the event, and although we still need a few days to finalize the exact date, I can confirm that it will be during the second half of the 2026 season. We will communicate more information as soon as it is available.”

The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation also reacted, assuring the WEC of its support for the decision to postpone the event. This decision was becoming increasingly inevitable as the teams faced the urgent need to ship the necessary cargo for the Prologue and the first round of the season.

“Following extensive discussions with the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship and all relevant stakeholders, the Qatar Motor Sport Federation and the Losail International Circuit respect and support the FIA ​​WEC’s decision to postpone the race.”explained Abdulrahman ben Abdullatif Al Mannai, chairman of the QMNF and the Losail circuit. “We thank our fans, teams and partners for their understanding and continued support, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the Losail International Circuit.”

The FIA ​​and the ACO also reacted through their presidents Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Pierre Fillon. “The safety and well-being of our community will always be the FIA’s top priority, and I thank our member club, the Qatar Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, the Losail International Circuit, the ACO and our championship colleagues for the measured and collaborative approach that led to this decision.”, declared Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “As the opening round of the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship, the 1812km Qatar race holds a special place for many fans, drivers and teams, and we will work closely with all parties involved to reschedule the race for later in the 2026 season.”

"First and foremost, I want to emphasize that our thoughts are first and foremost with the victims of this terrible conflict.", added Pierre Fillon. “In such circumstances, sporting interests clearly take a back seat, which is why it was quickly decided that the event could not take place at this time. We are working diligently with the Losail International Circuit and the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation to find the best alternative to allow the race to take place at a later date in 2026, and we thank all parties for their sincere support, cooperation, and understanding in this matter.”

The 2026 World Endurance Championship season will therefore open at Imola, on the weekend of April 17-19, with a six-hour race. This will be followed by the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in May and the... 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

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