The WEC postponed its season opener in Qatar due to conflict in the Middle East raising security concerns as Iran launched drones and missiles at its neighbors in response to Gulf nations hosting US military bases. The conflict escalated into a crisis after US and Israeli strikes against Iran targeted missile infrastructure, military bases and leaders, killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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The 1,812km race, which also has a maximum duration of 10 hours, was originally scheduled to take place from March 26-28, with the pre-season test event a week before, but the decision was made to postpone both the test and the race earlier this month for safety reasons and to take into account logistical timelines.
Organizers have now announced that the Qatar round will take place from October 22-24, making it the penultimate round of the season before the WEC heads to Bahrain for its finale from November 5-7. The rest of the 2026 calendar remains unchanged.
“The safety of competitors, staff and fans remains of utmost importance to QMMF, LIC, the FIA and the FIA WEC organisation, and all parties will continue to monitor developments across the region,” a WEC statement said.
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The 2026 WEC season will begin with the 6 Hours of Imola from April 17 to 19, with the circuit also hosting a one-day test on April 14 before the race weekend.
Other motorsport events in the Middle East also appear postponed or cancelled, with Formula 1 evaluating its options for the Bahrain GP (April 10-12) and Saudi Arabia GP (April 17-19).
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The FIA, F1 and the event organizing bodies are monitoring the conflict, but face a countdown to making a final decision due to logistical needs.
MotoGP faces a similar prospect at the Qatar GP on April 10-12, with the round likely to be postponed.
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