WEC Abandons Middle East Rounds Amidst Regional Conflict

The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season is set to conclude in Europe. Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM), the championship organizer, is reportedly preparing to revise the final portion of its calendar for the second time in the coming weeks. Planned races in Qatar and Bahrain are expected to be replaced by events in Barcelona and Monza, a direct response to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

This contingency plan was presented to teams during the recent Interlagos round. Its implementation is anticipated following ratification at the next FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting, believed to be scheduled for July 23rd, provided there is no significant improvement in the security situation within the Persian Gulf region.

LMEM has been developing alternative plans since the conflict forced the postponement of the “1812 km of Qatar,” which was originally slated to open the season. With travel to the region still deemed inadvisable, championship organizers also had to consider the corporate travel policies of manufacturers, suppliers, and other stakeholders, many of whom have imposed restrictions on travel to the Middle East.

Under the proposed changes, the WEC would head to Barcelona after the “6 Hours of Fuji,” before concluding the season at Monza. The Monza event would occupy the same November 7th weekend originally reserved for the “8 Hours of Bahrain,” while the Barcelona race would shift to October 18th, one week prior to the current date for Qatar.

The revised schedule would create a clash with the GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portimão. According to Racer magazine, 19 drivers currently competing in both championships would be affected. Teams such as WRT, Garage 59, and AF Corse would also face scheduling conflicts, as they race in both the WEC and SRO’s premier European GT3 series.

It is understood that SRO Motorsports Group is exploring measures to minimize this overlap. One option being discussed is moving the GTWCE race to Saturday, which would allow drivers to compete in both events. LMEM, seemingly without other viable options for the proposed Barcelona race date, is reportedly very grateful for Stéphane Ratel’s willingness to go the extra mile to avoid a direct clash.

The calendar revision will also have championship implications.

Unlike the planned Qatar and Bahrain races, which were set for eight and ten hours respectively, the proposed Barcelona and Monza events will be six-hour races due to seasonal conditions and track limitations. Consequently, they will award the standard WEC points – 25 for a win – instead of the “point-and-a-half” scale (38 points) used for the championship’s longer races.

This reduction in available points during the final rounds of the season will make it more challenging for teams and drivers chasing the championship leaders to overcome their deficits late in the campaign.