WEC cancels Qatar round 2026: Europe steps in

The WEC cancels Qatar round 2026, and Bahrain is gone too. It is a massive shake-up for the World Endurance Championship, and the series has now confirmed its replacement plan: a European double-header to close out the season.

Why WEC cancels Qatar round 2026 and Bahrain too

The championship was supposed to head to the Gulf in the autumn, with the rescheduled Qatar 1812km race set for 24 October, followed by the traditional Bahrain finale on 7 November. However, the ceasefire agreed between Iran and the US/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.

According to the official FIA WEC statement, “ongoing regional developments affecting freight and travel arrangements” forced the cancellation of the planned events in Qatar and Bahrain.

WEC boss Frédéric Lequien said the series had been closely monitoring developments in the Middle East over recent months and was optimistic just weeks ago. “Unfortunately, however, the current situation is forcing us to fall back on an alternative plan,” he confirmed.

The WEC says it is “deeply disappointed” not to race in Qatar and Bahrain this year, but stressed it is “fully committed to returning to both venues in 2027 as scheduled.”

It is worth noting that F1 faced a similar challenge with its own Bahrain round. You can read about how that was resolved in our piece on the Malaysia F1 race set as Bahrain replacement.

Barcelona and Monza: the new WEC calendar for 2026

So where does WEC go instead? Europe has the answer, with two iconic venues stepping up at short notice.

The inaugural 6 Hours of Barcelona will take place over the weekend of 16-18 October, marking the first time FIA WEC has visited the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which has in recent years successfully hosted the European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup.

Barcelona also represents Spain’s first race in the WEC era. To find world championship sportscar racing in Spain, you have to go back to the 1980s.

Barcelona will be followed by the 6 Hours of Monza, the season finale, on 8 November 2026. The “Temple of Speed” returns to the calendar for the first time since 2023, with Italy becoming the first nation to host FIA WEC rounds at two different circuits in the same season.

The calendar change remains subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

What this means for the championship

The switch from the Middle East to Europe is not just a location change. It also affects the points on offer.

Both races will be 6 hours in length. This is important because the Middle East races are extended distance and worth extra points. With both replacement races being only 6 hours, standard points will be awarded, meaning instead of 76 points being available in the last two races, only 50 points will be available.

That is a significant difference, and it could tighten or loosen the championship fight heading into the autumn. This plan was outlined to teams at the 6 Hours of São Paulo earlier this month before being made official.

Ferrari and Peugeot already look ahead to 2027

Ferrari and Peugeot are already thinking about next season.

Ferrari and Peugeot have started testing the upgraded versions of their respective Le Mans Hypercars as they ramp up preparations for the 2027 World Endurance Championship.

Ferrari has shown off a 499P Hypercar testing in camouflage at Monza. The heavily updated prototype is being used to evaluate a number of potential performance EVO Jokers ahead of the 2027 FIA WEC season. During the day of running, the car was driven by factory drivers Antonio Fuoco, Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Miguel Molina, allowing the team to sample a wide range of technical and aerodynamic solutions.

Ferrari has been competing in the Hypercar class of the FIA WEC with the 499P since 2023, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and securing both World Championship titles in 2025.

Peugeot has also started what it calls “the next chapter in the evolution of the 9X8”, working on “a series of technical evolutions aimed at enhancing performance, efficiency and competitiveness” of the V6-powered racer. The majority of the car is currently testing at Paul Ricard.

While Peugeot is understood to have already exhausted its allocation of evo jokers, it is hoping to take advantage of a new regulation that allows struggling manufacturers additional tokens for performance upgrades. Peugeot’s statement mentioned that its planned evolutions remain subject to approval.

The 2026 WEC season still has plenty to play for. With WEC cancels Qatar round 2026 now official and two fresh European venues confirmed, fans have Barcelona and Monza to look forward to. It should be a thrilling finish to the year. Also check out how the wider motorsport world is evolving with our feature on IndyCar’s global push and what it could mean for the sport.

Stay up to date with everything happening in endurance racing and beyond right here on rnt-motorsports.com.

More WEC: the full 2026 calendar, every race result and all of our reporting from the World Endurance Championship are collected on our FIA WEC hub.