WEC confirms Barcelona and Monza races to replace Bahrain and Qatar

Barcelona and Monza have been formally confirmed as the hosts of the final two events of this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship season, following a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council last week.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has led championship organizers to replace the Qatar 1812KM and 8 Hours of Bahrain, the former of which had already been postponed from its initial March date, with a pair of European events to conclude the eight-round campaign.

As previously reported by RACER, the plan was outlined to teams at the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo earlier this month, with it now having been made official.

The 6 Hours of Barcelona will take place on the 18th October 2026. It will be the first time that the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has hosted a FIA WEC round, although it was the venue of the pre-season Prologue test in 2019/20.

The Spanish circuit is familiar to both organisers Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM) and several of the teams, however, having been a regular fixture on the European Le Mans Series schedule since 2019.

Barcelona will then be followed up by the 6 Hours of Monza, the season finale, on 8th November 2026. The ‘Temple of Speed’ is returning to the calendar for the first time since 2023 (pictured), with Italy becoming the first nation to host FIA WEC rounds at two different circuits in the same season. Notably, there will be no post-season Rookie Test after the finale this year as a result of the calendar tweaks.

With six-hour races replacing longer, 1.5x championship points affairs, the amount of points still available in the drivers’ championships has reduced from 130 to 104, making it more difficult for those chasing the current leaders to stage a comeback.

Similarly, only 176 points are now up for grabs in the Hypercar manufacturers’ world championship, as opposed to the 220 previously still on the table.

“We have been closely monitoring developments in the Middle East over recent months," said Frédéric Lequien, CEO, FIA WEC. "A few weeks ago, we were optimistic about being able to race in Qatar and Bahrain, but unfortunately, the present situation obliges us to switch to an alternative plan.

“We have duly resolved to replace those two end-of-season rounds with Barcelona and Monza. Logistically, it was imperative to take this decision now to allow manufacturers, teams and the FIA WEC organization to make all necessary arrangements.

“I would like to warmly thank Qatar and Bahrain for their understanding in these times. We have been in constant dialogue with both tracks and their national federations, and are proud of the close, long-standing relationships we have built in the Middle East. They are hugely important and well-established events in FIA WEC, and will remain so for many years to come.”

Pierre Fillon, President, Automobile Club de l’Ouest, added: “We are navigating an exceptionally complex period in the Middle East. Together with Frédéric Lequien, we have been monitoring developments on a daily basis and working closely and transparently with all stakeholders to identify the best possible solution.

“The ACO has built strong and lasting relationships with governments, motorsport federations, promoters and partners across the Middle East. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our colleagues in Qatar and Bahrain for their remarkable commitment and for the considerable efforts they have made over recent weeks in an attempt to preserve these two events.

“We are deeply disappointed that we will not be able to race in Qatar and Bahrain this year. These countries have become important members of the FIA World Endurance Championship family, and I want to be very clear – we are fully committed to returning to both venues in 2027 as scheduled. We already look forward to being reunited with our partners and fans there.

“In the meantime, I would also like to thank Barcelona and Monza for their responsiveness and for welcoming the World Championship at such short notice. I have no doubt that both circuits will provide an outstanding stage for endurance racing.”

Both Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, the president of Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, the chief executive of the Bahrain International Circuit, also commented on the situation and made it clear that they look forward to hosting WEC races next year.

The 2026 FIA WEC season continues with the six-hour Lone Star Le Mans event at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on September 4-6.

Revised remaining 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship Calendar dates

Round 5: Lone Star Le Mans, Circuit of the Americas, USA (4th-6th September)

Round 6: 6 Hours of Fuji, Fuji Speedway, Japan (25th-27th September)

Round 7: 6 Hours of Barcelona, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain (16th-18th October)

Round 8: 6 Hours of Monza, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy (6th-8th November)