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The World Endurance Championship has confirmed its race in Qatar will not go ahead this year.
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Its race at the Losail International Circuit, which Formula 1 is due to visit in November, was originally due to open the season in March. It was cancelled following America and Israel’s bombing of Iran, which prompted retaliatory strikes against Qatar and other countries in the region.
WEC originally rescheduled its Qatar round for October. However following the resumption of bombing in the region in recent weeks, and despite another recent pause, WEC has finally abandoned its efforts to hold the race.
“I would like to warmly thank Losail International Circuit and their team in Qatar for their understanding in these times,” said FIA WEC CEO Frederic Lequien. “We have been in constant dialogue with LIC and QMMF [Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation] and are proud of the close, long-standing relationships we have built.” He said the series “will return in the future.”
The series has also called off its planned season finale in Bahrain.
The Circuit de Catalunya has will hold a WEC event on October 16th to 18th, in what it called an “exceptional round.” It will be the series’ first visit to the Spanish circuit.
F1 cancelled two of its planned races in the Middle East, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix, which were scheduled for April. The Bahrain Grand Prix has been reinstated to the calendar in name, but it will take place 6,000 kilometres away in Malaysia.
The final two rounds of the F1 season are due to take place in Qatar and Abu Dhabi on November 29th and December 6th respectively. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has previously said the series has a contingency plan in case those rounds cannot take place.
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