The brief
- The change: The planned Qatar and Bahrain rounds have been replaced by the inaugural 6 Hours of Barcelona and a 6 Hours of Monza.
- The dates: Barcelona runs October 16–18; Monza follows November 6–8.
- The status: The revised calendar still requires approval from the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
The season now ends with a European double-header
FIA and FIA WEC have moved the final two rounds of the 2026 campaign to Spain and Italy. The announcement cites the regional security situation and its effect on freight and travel arrangements, after the Qatar 1812km had already been postponed from its original March date.
Barcelona will host the championship for the first time. The 6 Hours of Barcelona takes place October 16–18 at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a venue already familiar to endurance teams through the European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup.
Three weeks later, WEC returns to Monza for the 6 Hours of Monza, scheduled for November 6–8. The Italian circuit has hosted major endurance racing for decades and was on the WEC calendar from 2021 through 2023.
What teams need to re-plan
This is more than a venue swap. A move from the Gulf to Europe changes freight timing, weather assumptions, track preparation and the shape of the championship’s closing travel sequence. Teams also lose the specific strategic reference points they had built around Qatar and Bahrain.
The calendar change preserves two races, but it does not yet rewrite the sporting record. The FIA says the WMSC must approve the update before it is final. For teams, though, the practical work starts immediately: Barcelona and Monza now become the places where the 2026 titles are expected to be decided.