The upcoming seventh round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, scheduled for 16-18 October, has officially been renamed the "6 Hours of Barcelona presented by Visit Qatar". This branding honors the event it has replaced on the calendar for this year.
The Qatar 1812km had been a popular staple of the FIA WEC schedule since 2024 and was originally set to curtain-raise the current campaign back in March. Unfortunately, the prevailing geopolitical situation in the Middle East obliged the cancellation of that event, leaving the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to step into the breach.
Our partnership with the FIA World Endurance Championship as Presenting Partner of the
Now, the Catalan track—which previously hosted the pre-season Prologue group test back in 2019—will stage the penultimate instalment of a compelling title fight in both the Hypercar and LMGT3 categories this weekend. Meanwhile, FIA WEC is already set to return to Qatar’s Lusail International Circuit for the opening round of its 2027 season on 25-27 March.
Frédéric Lequien, CEO of FIA WEC, commented on the new partnership:
“We are pleased to unveil the new name of this weekend’s event in Barcelona, as a token of our excellent relationship with Qatar and the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation. It has clearly been a difficult few months for events in the Middle East and we are very sorry not to be able to compete there this year, but we remain fully committed to our ongoing partnership with Lusail International Circuit and thank them for their close collaboration. We are very much looking forward to returning to the region next season, and in the meantime, we anticipate an intriguing race in Barcelona – with a distinct Qatari spirit.”
Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, added:
“Our partnership with the FIA World Endurance Championship as Presenting Partner of the "6 Hours of Barcelona" reflects Qatar’s continued commitment to supporting world-class sporting events and strengthening its presence on the international motorsport stage. We look forward to an exciting race weekend in Barcelona and to welcoming the FIA WEC community back to Qatar in 2027 for another exceptional season opener at Lusail International Circuit.”
