P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The new World Endurance Championship season kicks off on March 2 in Qatar.
The pre-season test for the World Endurance Championship in Qatar has been postponed by two days due to shipping delays in the Red Sea, now scheduled for February 26th-27th instead of 24-25th February. The delays were caused by disruptions in the Suez Canal due to missiles fired by the Houthis in Yemen in 2024. Both the United States and the United Kingdom have responded with retaliatory strikes to ensure the trade route remains open. Although the sea freight delay did not impact the actual season-opening weekend planned for March 2nd at the Lusail Circuit, nearly two days were lost in transit. The decision to delay the Prologue was made to allow ample preparation time for the WEC teams. The F1 opener in Bahrain, which is 150km away, coincides with the WEC season opener race.
