FIA set to decide on calendar shake-up amid Middle East unrest

The organisers of the FIA World Endurance Championship informed the teams during the race weekend in São Paulo about an adjusted season finale, reports Racer.com. The proposal is to switch to Barcelona after the 6 Hours of Fuji, with Monza then hosting the season finale. This would mean the planned races in Qatar and Bahrain would be cancelled.

The change is a direct consequence of the ongoing situation in the Middle East. The season opener in Qatar had already been postponed, and according to the organisers, travel to the region remains problematic for many manufacturers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. In addition, several companies have since tightened their travel policies for the Middle East.

If the proposal is approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on July 23, the race in Barcelona will take place on October 18. Monza will then take over the November 7 date that was originally reserved for the 8 Hours of Bahrain.

The calendar change also impacts the title fight. The races in Qatar and Bahrain were planned as endurance events of eight and ten hours, respectively, for which one-and-a-half times as many World Championship points would have been awarded. Barcelona and Monza would both be six-hour races, meaning fewer points will be available in the closing stages of the season.

The developments are also noteworthy with an eye on Formula 1. While the premier class is, for now, sticking to the season finale in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, that scenario remains uncertain as well. A decision on that will not be made until later this year. There were also plans to reschedule the Bahrain Grand Prix for early October, but nothing official has been announced yet.