This weekend’s race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya sees the Spanish facility host a WEC race for the first time after hosting the pre-season Prologue back in 2019.
It will be FIA WEC’s 50th race in Europe in the Championship’s 108th event, making the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya the 16th different venue to feature in the world championship and the first new addition to the calendar in two-and-a-half years.
Visit Qatar brands Spanish event
The event meanwhile has been renamed the ‘6 Hours of Barcelona presented by Visit Qatar’, in acknowledgement of the round at Lusail it has replaced on this year’s calendar.
The Qatar 1812km was due to raise the curtain on the current campaign back in March, but the prevailing geopolitical situation in the Middle East unfortunately obliged the cancellation of the event, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya stepping into the breach.
“We are pleased to unveil the new name of this weekend’s event in Barcelona, as a token of our excellent relationship with Qatar and the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation,” said Frédéric Lequien, CEO, FIA WEC. “It has clearly been a difficult few months for events in the Middle East, and we are very sorry not to be able to compete there this year, but we remain fully committed to our ongoing partnership with Lusail International Circuit and thank them for their close collaboration.
“We are very much looking forward to returning to the region next season, and in the meantime, we anticipate an intriguing race in Barcelona, with a distinct Qatari spirit.”
Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, added: “Our partnership with the FIA World Endurance Championship as Presenting Partner of the “6 Hours of Barcelona” reflects Qatar’s continued commitment to supporting world-class sporting events and strengthening its presence on the international motorsport stage.
“We look forward to an exciting race weekend in Barcelona and to welcoming the FIA WEC community back to Qatar in 2027 for another exceptional season opener at Lusail International Circuit.”
#69 BMW IN BASF Tribute Livery
The latest ‘tribute’ livery for the #69 BMW M4 GT3 Evo is a cracker, a reworking of the classic ‘BASF’ livery that adorned the iconic BMW M1 Group 5 racer in the 1980s and certainly a scheme on any right-thinking livery fan’s ‘Top 10 ‘.
It’s the seventh special livery thus far this season for the #69.
Charity Run organised
Saturday evening at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will see the FIA WEC’s first Charity run in aid of the Pau Costa Foundation (a global non-profit organisation active since 2011), whose mission is to promote the understanding and management of wildfires, foster wildfire prevention and contribute to building more resilient landscapes and societies.
The charity run will begin at 17:30 CEST on Saturday, 17 October, and will be limited to 1,000 places on a first-come, first-served basis. The run is open to members of the public, with drivers and teams also invited to join. Alpine has already confirmed the participation of a number of professional triathletes.
Operating under the tagline ‘Racing for Resilient Landscapes’, FIA WEC’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya charity run will contribute towards three key projects:
- Les Gavarres 2026 Journal Club: Sharing lessons learned and turning the experience of one of Catalunya’s most significant wildfires of the summer into knowledge for the future;
- MeFiTu (The Mediterranean Forest, Fire and You): Raising awareness amongst younger generations by organising educational activities in primary schools within affected municipalities to explain the role of fire, forest management and preventative measures;
- Ramats de Foc: Providing direct support to livestock farmers whose herds maintain strategic forest areas through extensive grazing, thereby limiting the accumulation of combustible vegetation and assisting in wildfire prevention.
“We are delighted to be joining forces with such a deserving and vital cause as the Pau Costa Foundation for this charity run, and we thank the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for its enthusiastic support,” Marius Louvet, the marketing and communications director of the WEC, said.
“The run is aimed at bringing together fans and competitors in a true show of solidarity with local communities that have been so badly affected by these devastating wildfires, and we sincerely hope to leave a positive, tangible and lasting impact well beyond the race weekend.”
Entry costs 15 € and includes a special T-shirt. Tickets can be purchased either with or without standard Saturday admission. Those attending only for the run can access the circuit from 16:00 CEST.
McLaren onboard
McLaren has released an onboard video of its 2027 MCL-HY Hypercar lapping the Silverstone circuit during a test.
Hirakawa to stay at Toyota
Confirmation today from TGR Haas F1 Team that Rafael Câmara will join the outfit for the 2027 season means that Toyota Hypercar driver Ryo Hirakawa will remain in the WEC next year with the Japanese brand.
Hirakawa took part in a shootout for the Haas seat at Portimao over the summer. Jack Doohan, who competed in the ELMS this year with Nielsen Racing and reigning F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, widely rumoured to be joining the WEC’s Hypercar pack next season, were also assessed by the team.
Hirakawa staying at Toyota is the final piece in the team’s jigsaw for next season. Confirmation of who will replace the retiring Mike Conway in 2027 (reportedly Kevin Estre), is expected in the coming weeks.
