WEC to Race in Qatar Beginning in 2024

Photo: Pirelli

The FIA World Endurance Championship will add a second round in the Middle East beginning in 2024 with confirmation of a six-year contract for a new event in Qatar.

Announced Monday evening in Doha, the 6 Hours of Qatar, to be staged at Lusail International Circuit, is expected to serve as the 2024 season-opener with a yet-to-be-announced date.

The 16-turn 3.343-mile circuit, which saw the debut of Formula 1 in 2021, is currently undergoing extensive facility renovations ahead of F1’s return in 2023 and the subsequent debut of the globe-trotting sports car world championship the following year.

Built in 2004, it is the only circuit in the region to have both FIA and FIM homologation licenses, having been home to MotoGP for nearly two decades.

The WEC’s Prologue pre-season test is also set to take place in Qatar prior to the race.

“We are delighted to have signed a minimum six-year contract with Lusail International Circuit to bring the WEC to Qatar for the very first time,” said WEC CEO Frederic Lequien.

“The extensive renovations that are currently underway at Lusail will make it one of the most prestigious race circuits in the world.

“2024 will be a very memorable year – not only will we have several global manufacturers competing in the Hypercar category, but we’ll be taking endurance racing to another new territory.”

The launch event, held at the Waldorf Astoria Lusail Doha, featured a first for endurance racing with Ferrari’s new 499P and the Porsche 963 present alongside existing Hypercar class entries from Toyota and Peugeot all on display.

Lequien and ACO President Pierre Fillon were joined by FIA Endurance Commission President Richard Mille as well as a number of notable and high-profile Qataris including H.E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, H.E. Mr. Salah bin Ghanim Al-Ali, Minister of Sports and Youth, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways Group — the event’s sponsor, and Mr. Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, President of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation.

Drivers Kamui Kobayashi, Laurens Vanthoor and Alessandro Pier Guidi were also in attendance.

Qatar will become the 13th country to have hosted a WEC round since its inception in 2012, with the inaugural edition set to see a minimum of eight manufacturers compete in the Hypercar class.

“Lusail International Circuit is a modern venue that is well accustomed to the demands of world-level motor sport events,” said Mille. “Therefore, having it joining FIA World Endurance Championship is a positive and logical development.

“Enhancing regional diversity is something very important to the FIA.

“At the same time, promoting motorsport and promoting FIA WEC at new markets is something that will be beneficial for the fans, the manufacturers involved and the promoter.

“It’s good to see the FIA WEC ecosystem growing in a controlled manner and expanding through addition of events located outside Europe.”

The announcement came amid World Cup festivities, which is set to conclude on Sunday with the final match.

“For what the event represents worldwide, Qatar is immensely honored to host the opening round in the 12th season of WEC in 2024,” said Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif al-Mannai.

“Undoubtedly, hosting this much-anticipated edition of WEC is yet another major milestone and another Qatari dream fulfilled.

“We’ve already made the necessary circuit renovations and upgrades to deliver a world-class state-of-the-art experience to both spectating fans and participating drivers, implementing all the changes that are needed for us to conform with the FIA’s technical standards and bringing in advanced technologies that are fitting for one of its sporting events.

“But we’re certain that this six-year journey we’ve embarked on will motivate us to push the boundaries of what we previously thought to be achievable even further, allowing us to make tremendous improvements to the venue come 2030.”

The addition of Qatar to the calendar means there will be at least a four-year period with two races in the region, as the WEC announced last year an extension of its deal with Bahrain International Circuit through 2027.

While not confirmed, the Qatar race is likely to become the eighth round of the championship, with Lequien previously stating ambitions to have an additional race beginning in 2024.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John