Following a lengthy delay due to armed conflicts in the Middle East, the World Endurance Championship (WEC) finally made it official on Tuesday (28), confirming the cancellation of the Qatar 1812 km and the 8 Hours of Bahrain for the 2026 season. To prevent a reduced schedule and ensure an eight-round championship, organizers also announced races in Barcelona and Monza to close out the season in October and November.
The WEC will therefore host the 6 Hours of Barcelona on October 18, shortly after the 6 Hours of Fuji scheduled for September 27, and wrap up the season with the 6 Hours of Monza — replacing the 8 Hours of Bahrain — on November 8.
“The FIA has worked closely with our partners in Qatar and Bahrain over recent months to explore all options to preserve both events this season. However, given the current situation in the region, the safety of our teams, colleagues, and motorsport fans remains our utmost priority,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“These are never easy decisions, but protecting the well-being of the motorsport community will always come first,” he added.
Due to track constraints, both replacement rounds will feature reduced durations of six hours each. Traditionally, Bahrain hosts an eight-hour race, while Qatar holds a ten-hour event. Consequently, point allocations will also be lower, with a victory awarding 25 points instead of the 38 points granted for longer-distance races.
According to Dailysportscar, the contingency plan was presented to teams during the 6 Hours of São Paulo weekend at Interlagos, held July 10–12. Over the past few days, the FIA convened the World Motor Sport Council, where the proposal to take the WEC to Barcelona and Monza was officially ratified.
Monza first hosted the WEC in 2017 when it staged that season’s Prologue. In 2021, the inaugural 6 Hours of Monza was held as an official World Championship round, remaining on the schedule through 2023. From 2024 onward, the Italian round shifted to the 6 Hours of Imola, which incidentally opened the 2026 championship following the postponement of the Qatar 1812 km.
Barcelona, on the other hand, has never hosted a WEC race, though it has been a staple of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) calendar since the 2019 season.
Following the 6 Hours of São Paulo — won by the #15 BMW of Magnussen, Marciello, and Vanthoor — the WEC returns to action on September 6 for the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
