FIA World Endurance Championship has postponed the highly anticipated 2026 WEC Qatar 1812km season opener until later in the year due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Originally slated for March 26-28 at the iconic Lusail International Circuit, the high-stakes endurance race was poised to kick off what promised to be another thrilling chapter in the Championship calendar.
However, escalating security threats including reports of Iranian drones and missile strikes targeting civilian infrastructure across the Gulf region have forced organizers to prioritize the safety of competitors, teams, personnel, and fans above all else.
This postponement marks the first major motorsport calendar adjustment prompted by the ongoing Middle East conflict, underscoring the profound impact of geopolitical instability on global sporting events.
The Qatar 1812km race will now be rescheduled for later in the year, allowing the season to kick off instead with the Imola 6 Hours in Italy on April 17-19.
The decision came swiftly, just weeks ahead of the planned Prologue pre-season testing on March 22-23, allowing sufficient time to mitigate logistical disruptions for the international field of Hypercar, LMP2, and LMGT3 contenders.
Statements from the series highlight ongoing dialogues amid the “current and evolving geopolitical situation,” with safety remaining the paramount concern in a region now fraught with uncertainty following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and subsequent retaliatory actions.
“The 2026 WEC Qatar 1812km season opener– originally scheduled to stage the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship on 26-28 March – has been officially postponed until later in the year,” the statement read.
“FIA WEC management has been in constant dialogue with the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) in light of the current and evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East conflict.
“With the safety and security of competitors, personnel and fans of the utmost importance, the decision has been taken to delay the event that had been due to take place on 26-28 March.
“Following further discussions with our colleagues at Lusail International Circuit (LIC), where the race is held, a new date for the Qatar 1812km during the second half of the campaign will be finalised and communicated in due course.
“The FIA continues to monitor developments across the region and our thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events as we hope for calm, safety and a return to stability.”
Racetrackmasters understands that new Qatar date could fall either directly before or after the 8 Hours of Bahrain which is scheduled for November 5-7 as the FIA continues to scrutinize potentially-affected races including F1 which kicks off new season this weekend in Melbourne.
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