FIA WEC Qatar 1812km postponed with Imola set to host the season opener
- Aaron Carroll
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
The World Endurance Championship (WEC) announced today that the opening round of the championship - due to be held in Qatar in just a few weeks - will be postponed until the second half of the season due to the conflict in the Middle East.
The season opener will instead be in Imola, on the 19th of April. The Qatar round will be rescheduled for the second half of the season, however no date has been specified. Nor has a date be specified for the prologue which was due to happen the week before the main event in Qatar.
The statement from FIA WEC says; "FIA WEC management has been in constant dialogue with the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) in light of the current and evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East. With 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.
"Following further discussions with our colleagues at Lusail International Circuit (LIC), where the race is held, a new date for the Qatar 1812km during the second half of the campaign will be finalised and communicated in due course.
"The first round of the season will consequently now be the 6 Hours of Imola in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy on 17-19 April."
FIA President - Mohammed Ben Sulayem - said "“The safety and wellbeing of our community will always be the FIA’s first priority.
"We will work closely with all involved to reschedule the race for later in the 2026 season."
President of the WEC organising body - the ACO - Pierre Fillon added "First and foremost, I must stress that our primary thoughts are with the victims of this terrible conflict. At times like these, sporting interests are clearly secondary, which is why a decision has been quickly taken that the event cannot proceed at the present time.
"We are working hard with Lusail International Circuit and the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation to find the best alternative to allow the Qatar 1812km to take place at a later date in 2026"
All parties involved have stressed that any new information regarding the updated schedule will be provided as soon as possible.
More news will surely follow regarding the dates for the pre-season prologue, and the revised date for Qatar.
That's a significant change to the WEC calendar, but prioritizing safety in light of the geopolitical situation is absolutely the right call. Imola is a fantastic circuit with so much history, so it should be a great setting for the season opener in April. It's a shame for fans who were planning on Qatar, but hopefully the rescheduled race later in the year will still go ahead. It will be interesting to see how the teams adapt their preparations with the prologue now needing to be rescheduled too. On a completely different note, for anyone curious, I've been looking into the jeetwin app download recently. Just a neutral mention. Thanks for sharing the update.
Another factor I consider is long-term usability. Some online clubs look impressive at first glance but become overwhelming after a few sessions. I test navigation depth — how many clicks it takes to switch between game types or access account settings. In Tanzania, where many users rely on smartphones, smooth mobile optimization is essential. During my comparison process, I explored 1win bet and appreciated how naturally the interface adapted to a smaller screen without losing functionality. A well-designed environment reduces friction and helps you focus on gameplay instead of troubleshooting the site itself.