Organizers of the FIA World Endurance Championship are preparing contingency plans to replace two races on the 2026 calendar due to uncertainty over events in the Middle East.
The original schedule includes eight rounds, two of them in Bahrain and Qatar. Regional tensions have already caused delays, and if either race is canceled, the series could lose a quarter of its season.
Monza and Barcelona emerge as replacement venues
WEC organizers are considering Monza and Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya as backup locations. The Spanish round would take place on October 18, while Monza would host the season finale on November 7.
The six-hour races would be shorter than the usual endurance events in Bahrain and Qatar, which often run longer distances. That adjustment could influence championship standings, since the series awards bonus points for extended races.
Monza last hosted a WEC race in 2023 before the series moved its Italian round to Imola. Barcelona has never held a championship event but hosted pre-season testing in 2019.
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Points system complicates the shift
A revised calendar would add two races back into the schedule, ensuring teams still compete for championship points. However, because the replacement rounds would be six hours instead of longer endurance events, the total available points would differ from the original plan.
WEC rules grant extra points for races exceeding a certain distance—equivalent to half a race’s worth. With shorter events in Europe, that bonus would not apply. The outcome: two more races than a canceled schedule, but one fewer race’s worth of points than the initial 2026 lineup.
For manufacturers like Toyota, which leads the title chase as the 2026 Le Mans winners, the change could alter the season’s outcome.
If the Middle East races are scrapped, shifting to Europe would ease travel for most teams, many of which are based there. The tight timeline—less than a year before the season starts—leaves little margin for error in securing contracts, permits, and local support.
The final decision depends on how the geopolitical situation develops in the coming months. For now, the backup plan provides a solution, though the championship’s structure means even minor changes have significant effects.
