GTWC Europe powered by AWS will conclude its 2026 Endurance Cup season on the evening of Saturday 17 October after SRO Motorsports Group revised the Portimão event timetable, to avoid a clash with the World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Barcelona.
Organisers originally planned to hold the three-hour race on Sunday 18 October. However, WEC’s newly added Barcelona round created a same-weekend clash, prompting SRO to bring its finale forward by one day.
The revised programme places both GTWC Europe Free Practice sessions and Qualifying on Friday before the race begins at 17:00 local time on Saturday. SRO hopes the change will allow drivers, teams and other personnel with commitments in both championships to attend the two events.
SRO seeks solution to calendar clash with WEC
The FIA WEC initially planned to visit Qatar and Bahrain during the closing stages of its 2026 season. However, championship organisers replaced those rounds with events at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Monza, placing the inaugural Barcelona race on 16–18 October.
Consequently, Barcelona’s date overlapped directly with the GTWC Europe Endurance Cup finale. As reported by Sportscar365, SRO founder and Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Ratel explained that the organisation wanted to cooperate with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and the FIA to reduce the disruption.
“We work together with the ACO and the FIA on many matters that are in the common interest of global sportscar racing. “As such, when this clash with the FIA World Endurance Championship occurred, we wanted to facilitate a solution.”
“I hope that our decision to race on Saturday evening will allow all of those involved with both series to be present at both Portimao and Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.”
Although the revised schedule removes a direct clash between the two races, competitors who attempt both events will still face a demanding journey between Portugal and Spain. Barcelona’s complete weekend timetable also remains unconfirmed, leaving teams to await further details before finalising their logistical plans.
Several drivers face double commitments with 2026 GTWC Europe Portimão and WEC Barcelona
At least 18 drivers expected to compete at Portimão also held commitments in the FIA WEC event at Barcelona. That group included Hypercar competitors Raffaele Marciello, Nicklas Nielsen, Jules Gounon, Marco Sørensen and Dani Juncadella.
Garage 59 faced an especially complicated situation because the McLaren team competes in both championships. Four of its six FIA WEC LMGT3 drivers — Marvin Kirchhöfer, Benji Goethe, Tom Fleming and Antares Au — also planned to race in GTWC Europe.
Therefore, SRO’s decision gives those competitors a potential opportunity to complete the Portimão race on Saturday evening before travelling to Barcelona. Nevertheless, teams must still manage transport, preparation and rest across a narrow window.
Friday programme features both practice sessions and Qualifying
GTWC Europe will complete its main pre-race preparations on Friday 16 October. Free Practice 1 will run from 08:45 until 10:15, while Free Practice 2 will follow between 12:45 and 14:15.
Qualifying will then begin at 17:55 and finish at 19:05. As a result, teams will complete both long practice sessions and the decisive grid-setting session during a busy opening day.
The championship will stage its three-hour race from 17:00 until 20:00 on Saturday. Sunset will occur at 18:53, meaning the season finale should begin in daylight and continue into darkness as the Endurance Cup title battle reaches its conclusion.
Support categories receive revised timetable
The changes also affect the GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli, GT4 European Series and McLaren Trophy Europe.
McLaren Trophy Europe will begin Saturday’s racing at 13:45 before GT4 Europe stages its opening contest at 15:10. The GTWC Europe field will then take over the circuit for the season finale at 17:00.
Meanwhile, Sunday will retain four support races. GT2 Europe will hold Race 1 at 09:30 and Race 2 at 14:15, while GT4 Europe will race at 11:45. McLaren Trophy Europe will complete the event with its second contest at 15:35.
The current timetable remains provisional and carries a 31 July 2026 draft date. However, its revised structure now gives drivers, teams and other personnel a possible route to participate in both the Portimão and Barcelona events.
