March 16th 2026

FIA WEC confirms new date for Qatar race

A new date for the FIA WEC's Qatar 1812Km race has been confirmed following the decision to move the season opener to the back end of the 2026 season due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The event at the Lusail International Circuit, which was planned to take place later this month along with the pre-season Prologue test, will now run on Oct. 22-24, as the penultimate race of the 2026 season.

Next month’s 6 Hours of Imola has become the new season opener following the championship organizer's swift move to postpone the race in Qatar, with the Prologue test rescheduled to take place at the Italian circuit on the Tuesday of race week.

With a new date for Qatar found, the season will conclude with two races in the Middle East, as the season finale in Bahrain remains scheduled for Nov. 7.

“The current geopolitical instability in the Middle East obliged the postponement of the Qatari contest, which had been due to launch the 14th campaign of FIA WEC competition later this month,” a statement from the WEC read. “Following collaborative and constructive discussions with the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), Lusail International Circuit (LIC) and Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, FIA WEC is pleased to confirm that the event is now set to take place from 22-24 October, making it the penultimate round of the 2026 season.

“The safety and security of competitors, personnel and fans remain of the utmost importance to QMMF, LIC, the FIA and the FIA WEC organisation, and all parties will continue to monitor developments across the region.

“Racing will get underway with the 6 Hours of Imola in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region on 17-19 April. The iconic Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari will similarly host the traditional Prologue group test on Tuesday, 14 April, allowing competitors to settle into the groove and fine-tune their cars in advance of the race weekend.”

Updated 2026 FIA WEC calendar

Prologue test (Imola), April 14

R1. 6 Hours of Imola, April 19

R2. 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, May 9

R3. 24 Hours of Le Mans, June 13-14

R4. 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, July 12

R5. Lone Star Le Mans (COTA), Sept. 6

R6. 6 Hours of Fuji, Sept. 27

R7. Qatar 1812Km, Oct. 24

R8. 8 Hours of Bahrain, Nov. 7

For more information: www.racer.com

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