WEC Postpones 2026 Season Opener In Qatar Over U.S.-Israeli War With Iran

If you don’t drive an EV, get ready to pay more at the pump, because Trump’s and Netanyahu’s war with Iran has already caused gas prices to spike, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change any time soon. For fans of endurance racing, though, I have even worse news: the World Endurance Championship has indefinitely postponed the season-opening race that was supposed to take place in Qatar at the end of March.

“The Qatar 1812km – originally scheduled to stage the opening round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship on 26-28 March – has been officially postponed until later in the year,” the WEC said in a statement, adding that, “in light of the current and evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East,” and “[w]ith the safety and security of competitors, personnel and fans of the utmost importance, the decision has been taken to delay the event that had been due to take place on 26-28 March.”

Qatar sits across the Persian Gulf from Iran, directly east of Saudi Arabia, putting it right in the middle of the war, so it was probably the right call. Still, it’s understandable that many WEC fans will be disappointed. It’s not like they’re the ones who started this pointless war. 

Officially, the Qatar race hasn’t been canceled, only “postponed until later in the year.” When that will be, exactly, remains to be seen. So far, all the WEC can say is that a date “during the second half of the campaign will be finalised and communicated in due course.” If the war continues to spiral out of control and engulf the region, though, who knows if it will take place at all. The way things are going, don’t be surprised if this war impacts the F1 season, as well. 

At least for now, postponing the Qatar race means 6 Hours of Imola will be the first WEC race of the season, taking place in Italy the weekend of April 19. In theory, Italy should remain safe, so you can probably count on that race going forward, but considering the way this year has gone, you never know. 

“As the opening event of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Qatar 1812km holds a special place for many fans, drivers and teams alike, and we will work closely with all involved to reschedule the race for later in the 2026 season,” FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in a statement. “The FIA continues to monitor developments across the region and our thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events as we hope for calm, safety and a return to stability.”