The opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship has been postponed due to escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The FIA announced on Tuesday that, “With the safety and security of competitors, personnel and fans of the utmost importance, the decision has been taken to delay the championship.”
The postponement of the event, originally scheduled for March 26-28, came after consultations with the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation amid the current geopolitical situation. The World Endurance Championship is a premier motorsport series featuring races of long duration, testing both driver endurance and machine reliability.
The FIA stated a new date for the 1812km race at the Lusail International Circuit, north of Doha, Qatar, will be announced in due course, with the event expected to take place in the second half of the season.
The season will now initiate with the 6 Hours of Imola in Italy, scheduled for April 17-19 in the Emilia Romagna region. The championship is set to conclude on November 7 in Bahrain.
“The safety and wellbeing of our community will always be the FIA’s first priority,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
He added, “The FIA continues to monitor developments across the Middle East and we stand in solidarity with all those affected by these recent events, wishing for peace and security and a return to stability.”
