The FIA World Endurance Championship is stepping up outside the cockpit by teaming up with the Pau Costa Foundation for a charity run during the upcoming 6 Hours of Barcelona event. As the series heads to the Catalan capital for its first race this weekend on 17 to 18 October, fans, families, and paddock members will have the chance to pull on their running shoes on Saturday and cover a 5km route around the famous Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for a brilliant cause.
This initiative is part of the world championship’s 2026 commitment to 'Give Back to the Community', leaning on shared values like preparation, anticipation, teamwork, and safety to back projects tackling major societal issues. Catalunya as a region has suffered repeated damage from wildfires, and the Pau Costa Foundation, operating as a global non-profit organisation since 2011, has made it its mission to promote wildfire understanding and management, foster prevention, and build more resilient landscapes and societies.
The foundation works tirelessly to connect researchers, first responders, landscape managers, public authorities, and private companies to analyse, collect, and disseminate data while promoting joint programmes globally. By learning from past experiences and developing educational resources to highlight wildfire risks, the organisation helps make territories and societies better prepared for future fires. Operating under the tagline 'Racing for Resilient Landscapes', the charity run will directly contribute towards three key projects.
Marius Louvet, Marketing & Communication Director for the FIA World Endurance Championship, said: “We are delighted to be joining forces with such a deserving and vital cause as the Pau Costa Foundation for this charity run, and we thank the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for its enthusiastic support. The run is aimed at bringing together fans and competitors in a true show of solidarity with local communities that have been so badly affected by these devastating wildfires, and we sincerely hope to leave a positive, tangible and lasting impact well beyond the race weekend.”
Jordi Vendrell, Director of the Pau Costa Foundation, added: “This contribution will enable us to promote initiatives in the area affected by the 2026 Gavarres wildfire – supporting knowledge, education and prevention while contributing to land management that strengthens resilience to large wildfires. We are very grateful to FIA WEC for its trust and commitment to turning a major sporting event into an opportunity to support more resilient territories and better-prepared societies.”
The charity run kicks off at 17:30 CEST on Saturday, 17 October, and organisers are capping participation at 1,000 places on a first come, first served basis. Drivers and teams are invited to join, with Alpine already confirming the participation of a number of professional triathletes. Entry costs 15 € and includes a special T-shirt, with tickets available either with or without standard Saturday admission, while those attending solely for the run can access the circuit starting at 16:00 CEST.
