WEC has releases eight-round calendar for 2026 season which is same as the current one, as Hypercar rule extended until 2032.
Last year saw more than 750,000 fans pour through the gates over the course of the season’s eight rounds, and with a record on-site attendance at Spa-Francorchamps last month – and a huge crowd expected at this weekend’s 93rd edition of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans – the current campaign looks set to raise the bar even higher.
For the third consecutive season, FIA WEC will visit five different regions in 2026 – Europe, North America, South America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East – with the dates having been officially rubber-stamped during this week’s FIA World Motor Sport Council reunion in Macau. The action will begin a month later than usual in Qatar, as Lusail International Circuit hosts the traditional ‘Prologue’ group test and curtain-raising contest in late March.
The championship will subsequently return to Europe for rounds two, three and four at Imola in Italy, Spa in Belgium and Le Mans in France for the most famous circuit race in the world. The second half of the campaign then consists of long-haul contests, as competitors travel overseas to São Paulo in Brazil in July, Austin in the US and Japan’s iconic Fuji International Speedway in September and finally, Bahrain International Circuit, where champions will be crowned in early November.
Frédéric Lequien, CEO, FIA World Endurance Championship, said: “We are pleased to present our 2026 FIA WEC calendar, which reflects the series’ success by building upon a winning formula and format. All eight events have established themselves as firm favourites amongst competitors and fans. Every circuit offers its own unique characteristics and challenges – and invariably brings out the best from our incredible drivers, cars and teams. We look forward to continuing to put on a thrilling show all around the world!”
Pierre Fillon, President, Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), said: “We are thrilled by the growth of the FIA World Endurance Championship in recent years, a large part of which can be attributed to the series’ stability in terms of partners, participants and venues. FIA WEC offers an irresistible platform for manufacturers eager to do battle for supremacy, and the 2026 calendar will once again enable them to showcase their skills and ingenuity to a highly-invested global audience.”
Richard Mille, President, FIA Endurance Commission, said: “After a period of expansion, including the addition of an eighth round in 2024, the FIA World Endurance Championship enters a phase of consolidation and stability with next season’s calendar. The schedule continues to feature world-class circuits across key regions, striking the right balance between global exposure for manufacturers and the need to keep participation costs at a reasonable level. This stability lays a strong foundation for the continued success of the Hypercar class and supports the sustained growth of the world’s premier endurance racing series.”
Hypercar –
Introduced in 2021, the Hypercar platform has blossomed over its five years of competition to-date, with the grid expanding from just three manufacturers in its inaugural season to eight in the current FIA WEC campaign – Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche and Toyota.
Key to that expansion has been the technical and design freedoms afforded by the prevailing rule set, encouraging competitors to unleash their aesthetic and aerodynamic creativity while at the same time keeping costs firmly under control. Since its launch, 12 different automotive marques have participated in the class, building cars to either LMH or LMDh specifications, and at least three more are on the way in the shape of Genesis – in 2026 – as well as Ford and McLaren, who will both join the fray in 2027.
This unprecedented manufacturer involvement has been instrumental in driving the recent growth and popularity of the world championship, and in light of that momentum, the Hypercar homologation cycle – initially set to conclude in 2029 – will now remain in place until the end of 2032, a step approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council during its meeting in Macau earlier this week.
The move ensures commercial long-term stability for the class, enabling existing competitors to continue refining their current platforms while granting confirmed and prospective new entrants the necessary time to develop their own cars and compete for victory on endurance racing’s greatest global stage.
[The story is as per press release]
