World Endurance Championship relocates season finale out of Gulf amid ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict

The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) has announced it will relocate the final two rounds of its 2026 season out of the Gulf region due to the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. The Qatar 1812 km and the 8 Hours of Bahrain, originally scheduled for October and November, will now be held in Barcelona, Spain, and Monza, Italy, respectively.

Both replacement races will be shortened to six-hour formats. The Qatar round, initially planned as the season opener, was postponed at the start of hostilities.

The decision follows Formula 1’s struggles with similar scheduling challenges in the region. F1 canceled April’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races, hoping to reschedule them later, while its final two rounds remain slated for Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Industry reports suggest F1 risks losing $200 million in revenue if the Gulf races are canceled, with potential losses escalating if Qatar and Abu Dhabi are also affected. Should cancellations persist, F1’s 2024 season could conclude with the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 21.