Inaugural 6-Hour Barcelona: WEC 2026 Race Schedule and Broadcast Details
Three weeks after the Fuji round, the World Endurance Championship resumes its quest for supremacy with the inaugural Six Hours of Barcelona, marking the penultimate session of the 2026 season. Competitors will regroup from October 16–18.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will host the WEC for the first time. This venue was selected by the ACO and FIA as a replacement for the originally planned Qatar 1812 km event, which was abandoned due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Although the Catalan track has no WEC pedigree yet, the majority of the grid is familiar with the circuit through subsequent appearances at the European Le Mans Series and GT World Challenge—a legacy of previous GT entries. Barcelona also serves as a regular testing platform, where teams frequently use the nearby Montmeló circuit to prepare for later rounds.
Within the Hypermode category, Toyota seems poised to extend its dominance by securing additional driver and manufacturer titles. Nevertheless, BMW and Team WRT will contest fiercely to disrupt the Japanese outfit’s path.
Meanwhile, Ferrari remains mathematically in contention for the titles and will not cede the championship without a serious effort. The 499P hybrid engines aim to revive the rival’s success on a layout engineered specifically for the LMH prototype.
Cadillac welcomes Alex Lynn back to the roster following his injury setback. The British driver plans to provide a competitive start before transitioning to McLaren, where he hopes to achieve a strong finish behind co‑driver Jota.
Alpine aims to replicate its aggressive tactics stemming from Japan, where the team came dangerously close to glory last year.
Genesis arrives with confidence having completed intensive testing at the facility during their GMR‑001 development phase. Aston Martin and Peugeot complete the Hypercar slate, each determined to make a decisive impact this weekend.
In the LMGT3 class, Corvette and TF Sport have established comfortable leads over their opponents as they transform their pace into tangible results.
Aston Martin’s Heart of Racing outfit, led by Mattia Drudi, brings a formidable presence to the grid. He faces a grueling competition calendar, traveling between Spain and Portugal to cover the WEC round and the season‑final GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup at Portimao.
Porsche and Ferrari alike are targeting high‑profile podiums, joining forces with Ford, Mercedes, McLaren, BMW WRT, and Lexus as potential title contenders.
Barcelona 6 Hours Schedule
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12:00 |
Barcelona -Free Practice 1
Barcelona -Free Practice 1
Barcelona -Free Practice 2
Barcelona -Free Practice 2
Barcelona -Free Practice 3 -LMGT3
Barcelona -Free Practice 3 -LMGT3
Barcelona -Free Practice 3 -HYPERCAR
Barcelona -Free Practice 3 -HYPERCAR
Barcelona -Hyperpole -LMGT3
Barcelona -Hyperpole -LMGT3
Barcelona -Free Practice 3 -HYPERCAR
Barcelona -Qualifying -HYPERCAR
Barcelona -Hyperpole -HYPERCAR
Barcelona -Race
The WEC has arranged a bespoke Saturday agenda to accommodate the concurrent Grand Prix Final in Portimao.
FRIDAY 16 October
Free Practice 1: 11:30‑13:00 local Free Practice 2: 16:30‑18:00 local
SATURDAY 17 October
Free Practice 3 LMGT3: 08:50‑09:50 LMGT3 Qualifying: 11:50‑12:02 LMGT3 Hyperpole: 12:10‑12:20
Free Practice 3 Hypercar: 12:40‑13:40 Hypercar Qualifying: 15:40‑15:52 Hypercar Hyperpole: 16:00‑16:10
SUNDAY 18 October
Race (6 hours): 12:00 local
FIA WEC 2026 – How to Watch the Barcelona 6 Hours
The full World Endurance Championship broadcast package is available on Eurosport throughout most of Europe, while MotorTrend and HBO+ provide streaming options in North America. The series has also launch the dedicated FIAWEC+ website and app, which offers live timing supplied by official chronometry provider Al Kamel.
Notably, Free Practice 1 and 2 are not shown live on television but can be followed via official timing feeds. Live commentaries begin with Free Practice 3.
#17 Genesis Magma Racing Genesis GMR-001: Andre Lotterer, Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert
Photo by: FIA WEC / DPPI
