FIA Postpones Qatar Race Amid War In Middle East
FIA Racing Body Postpone Opening Race In Qatar ... Over War In Middle East
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A popular auto race in Qatar has been pushed amid intense fighting in the Middle East ... as Iran indiscriminately fires missiles and drones in response to U.S. and Israeli attacks.
The FIA -- aka the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, a global motor sports governing body that also oversees Formula One -- moved to press pause on the Qatar leg of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, which was supposed to go down March 28 at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail.
"FIA WEC management has been in constant dialogue with Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) in light of the current and evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East," the organization said in a statement.
"With the safety and security of competitors, personnel and fans of the utmost importance, the decision has been taken to delay the event that had been due to take place on 26-28 March."
Statement from the FIA WEC on the Qatar 1812km.#WEC pic.twitter.com/de89I62idZ @FIAWEC
The good news? The Qatar 1812KM isn't canceled -- it's simply postponed. It's now slated to take place sometime during the "second half of the season," with a date to be announced at a later time.
Organizers haven't locked themselves into a date because the situation on the ground is fluid ... and the truth is, no one knows when the war will end.
And, it's not just the FIA being overly cautious. Qatar, although not directly involved in the initial wave of attacks (that was the U.S. and Israel), has had to defend itself from Iran, with the Qatari government announcing they've downed 98 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, two dozen drones, and two Su-24 jets.
Despite the overwhelming success of the campaign, the U.S. has taken losses. Tragically, six U.S. service members have been killed, and others seriously injured, since President Donald Trump greenlit the attack.
The race in Qatar is far from the only event in jeopardy thanks to the unrest. The Fanatics Flag Football Classic is set to go down in Saudi Arabia later this month, with big names like Tom Brady, Saquon Barkley, Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett among those slated to attend.
As of now, there's no word on the status of that event, though it's hard to imagine it being played on March 21, given the current situation.
