Qatar to host World Endurance C'ship prologue and season-opener following Le Mans 2026 calendar reveal
Tribune News Network
Doha
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced the 2026 World Endurance Championship (WEC) calendar in Le Mans on 13 June, confirming Qatar's continued role in launching the new season with both the Prologue testing sessions and the opening championship round March 22-28 , making it one of the 8 circuits around to world to host WEC in 2026.
For a third time, Lusail International Circuit (LIC) will welcome the premier endurance racing series with the Prologue sessions scheduled from March 22-23,allowing teams and drivers to fine-tune their Hypercars and LMGT3 machines ahead of the competitive season.
The official championship action will commence shortly afterwards with the Qatar 1812 KM race being held from March 26-28. Named in honour of Qatar's National Day, this endurance contest will once again test competitors as they race from daylight into darkness, a maximum of ten hours across the 5.38km, 16-turn circuit.
The circuit's characteristics – featuring a flat, high-speed layout with minimal elevation changes and maximum grip – continue to provide an ideal proving ground for the sport's most advanced prototypes and production-based GT cars. The 16 turns combined with the kilometre-long main straight demand peak performance from both machinery and drivers.
Following success in 2024 and 2025, the Qatar rounds have established themselves as unmissable fixtures on the WEC calendar, attracting the world's leading automotive manufacturers including Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, Aston Martin, Peugeot, Alpine, and BMW in the premier Hypercar category.
The LMGT3 class will feature equally fierce competition among marques such as Corvette, Lexus, Ferrari, BMW, and Mercedes-AMG. Stay tuned for further ticketing information.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Wednesday Fiesta shines spotlight on Indian arts, culture, sporting excellence
Tribune News Network Doha As part of its ongoing mission to foster cultural pride and community spirit, the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), under the aegis of the Embassy of India, Qatar, successfully hosted another vibrant edition of its weekly cultural series, 'ICC Wednesday Fiesta', on Wednesday, 11th June 2025, at the ICC Ashoka Hall. Designed to be a dynamic celebration of Indian arts and culture, the event featured a captivating line-up of performances by artists from various ICC affiliated organisations (AOs) and arts centres operating in Qatar. The stage came alive with colourful displays of classical, folk, and contemporary art forms, showcasing the diversity and richness of India's cultural tapestry. The evening began with a warm welcome address delivered by Ravindra Prasad, ICC head of affiliation, who extended greetings to the distinguished guests and members of the Indian community. This was followed by the presidential address from ICC President AP Manikantan, who lauded the consistent efforts of ICC and its affiliates in nurturing and promoting Indian heritage through regular cultural programming. A special highlight of the event was the felicitation of three exceptional Indian athletes from Qatar —Saji Sreekumaran, Shyam Sivaji, and Navas Muhammad — who recently brought laurels to the Indian expatriate community by winning bronze medals in the Men's 35+ Handball category at the World Masters Games held in Taipei, Taiwan. Their achievement was acknowledged with great pride and applause, marking the intersection of cultural celebration and sportingachievement. The evening's programme concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks by Venkappa Bhagavatula, ICC head of in-house activities, who expressed gratitude to all performers, volunteers, and attendees for making the event a resounding success. The event was smoothly and gracefully anchored by Prema, whose professional hosting added to the charm of the evening. The occasion was graced by ICC General Secretary Abraham K Joseph, members of the ICC Managing Committee, presidents of affiliated organisations, and several senior community leaders, all of whom reiterated their commitment to strengthening India-Qatar cultural ties. The 'ICC Wednesday Fiesta' continues to stand as a dynamic platform that not only celebrates India's rich cultural heritage but also recognises the achievements of the Indian diaspora, building a stronger and more vibrant community spirit in Qatar.
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar to host World Endurance C'ship prologue and season-opener following Le Mans 2026 calendar reveal
Tribune News Network Doha The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced the 2026 World Endurance Championship (WEC) calendar in Le Mans on 13 June, confirming Qatar's continued role in launching the new season with both the Prologue testing sessions and the opening championship round March 22-28 , making it one of the 8 circuits around to world to host WEC in 2026. For a third time, Lusail International Circuit (LIC) will welcome the premier endurance racing series with the Prologue sessions scheduled from March 22-23,allowing teams and drivers to fine-tune their Hypercars and LMGT3 machines ahead of the competitive season. The official championship action will commence shortly afterwards with the Qatar 1812 KM race being held from March 26-28. Named in honour of Qatar's National Day, this endurance contest will once again test competitors as they race from daylight into darkness, a maximum of ten hours across the 5.38km, 16-turn circuit. The circuit's characteristics – featuring a flat, high-speed layout with minimal elevation changes and maximum grip – continue to provide an ideal proving ground for the sport's most advanced prototypes and production-based GT cars. The 16 turns combined with the kilometre-long main straight demand peak performance from both machinery and drivers. Following success in 2024 and 2025, the Qatar rounds have established themselves as unmissable fixtures on the WEC calendar, attracting the world's leading automotive manufacturers including Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, Aston Martin, Peugeot, Alpine, and BMW in the premier Hypercar category. The LMGT3 class will feature equally fierce competition among marques such as Corvette, Lexus, Ferrari, BMW, and Mercedes-AMG. Stay tuned for further ticketing information.
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Former F1 driver Kubica leads Ferrari to Le Mans 24 Hours win
DPA Berlin Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica has achieved the biggest success of his motorsport career as he led Ferrari to their third consecutive win at the traditional Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race. With the #83 Ferrari crew, Kubica crossed the finish line on Sunday to celebrate the win with team-mates Phil Hanson and Yifei Ye. 'It has been a long one. Le Mans has always been close. First three years I raced LMP2 but the amount of laps I have done in the top three positions in five Le Mans is like 70%. But I have finally won it and in a Hypercar,' the Polish driver said. 'We deserve it. Happy for Ferrari. Three years in a row with three different crews, it is amazing.' There was just one safety car during the entire race. Ferrari crew #51 were third, as Porsche prevented a podium sweep for the Italian team with second place. Kubica was active in F1 between 2006 and 2010, but suffered a life-threatening rallying accident in 2011. He was trapped in the car for more than an hour before rescue workers were able to remove him. The accident left him with a partially severed right arm and multiple fractures. But he made one of the most remarkable comebacks in motorsport history once he got a full-time racing seat with Williams in 2019, before ending his F1 stint as a reserve driver for Alfa Romeo 2020-2022. Since 2021, he has been competing in the World Endurance Championship.
