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The FIA, the motorsports governing body that controls F1, WRC, WEC and more have announced they will be officially postponing the opening round of the…
The FIA has officially announced the postponement of the opening round of the 2026 World Endurance Championship due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Qatar 1812km race, initially scheduled for March, has been delayed to a later date in the year as a result.
The decision to postpone the event came after a series of events in the Middle East, including US and Israel launching a bombing campaign in Iran followed by retaliatory strikes targeting US bases in nearby countries like Qatar and Bahrain, popular locations for motorsport races including F1 and WEC.
F1 reassured fans that upcoming races in Australia, China, and Japan are not in the Middle East and are closely monitoring the situation in cooperation with relevant authorities.
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix in April are under assessment while the FIA’s decision to postpone the WEC season opener has been confirmed for the safety and security of all involved.
A new date for the Qatar 1812km race will be finalized later in the year, with the season now set to open with the 6 Hours of Imola in Italy in April, as stated by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the President of the FIA.
