The story

The 2026 World Endurance Championship will conclude in Europe, with planned Middle East events replaced by new races in Barcelona and Monza. The championship was supposed to head to the Gulf region after visits to Austin and Fuji in September, with the rescheduled Qatar 1812km race set for October 24 followed by the traditional Bahrain finale on November 7.

The ceasefire agreed between Iran and the US and Israel collapsed this month, with both sides resuming attacks in the region and commercial ships continuing to avoid the Strait of Hormuz over fear of missile strikes. The situation posed a particular challenge for the WEC, which relies heavily on sea freight to transport its equipment. Series promoters the FIA and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest opted to abandon the financially lucrative Middle East leg in favor of finishing the season closer to its core European fanbase.

The WEC will make its maiden visit to Spain this year, with the 6 Hours of Barcelona scheduled on October 18. The 2026 campaign will now conclude in Italy, with the 6 hour Monza event taking place on November 7. WEC CEO Frederic Lequien said they were optimistic about racing in Qatar and Bahrain a few weeks ago, but the present situation obliged them to switch to an alternative plan. Both Barcelona and Monza will offer a maximum of 25 points to the race winner, as per the standard scoring system for six hour events.