Shanghai International Circuit will host the final round of the 2026 GTWC Asia powered by AWS season after SRO Motorsports Group confirmed a revised calendar arrangement for the championship.
The season finale will now take place on October 30 to November 1, with Shanghai reclaiming its position as the concluding venue of the campaign. The decision follows extensive discussions between SRO Motorsports Group, teams and stakeholders after organisers initially selected Ningbo as a replacement venue last week.
Originally, Shanghai had been scheduled to host Rounds 5 and 6 on June 3-5. However, organisers encountered local administrative complications linked to China’s nationwide College Entrance Exam, which forced SRO to seek an alternative location for the event.
Ningbo initially selected as replacement
Following the disruption, SRO quickly turned to Ningbo as a replacement venue in order to preserve the original race dates and minimise logistical complications for teams and partners.
Maintaining the same schedule represented a key priority for organisers because changing venues at short notice already created significant operational and financial challenges. Consequently, Ningbo initially emerged as the most practical solution under difficult circumstances.
Nevertheless, further discussions with teams and stakeholders encouraged SRO Motorsports Group to reassess the situation and explore alternative options that would better suit competitors and championship partners.
As a result, organisers decided to restore Shanghai to the calendar later in the season instead of staging the event in June.
Shanghai returns after stakeholder discussions
Under the revised schedule, Shanghai will now host the championship finale exactly one month after GT World Challenge Asia stages its penultimate round on the streets of Beijing.
SRO Motorsports Asia General Manager Benjamin Franassovici praised Ningbo’s efforts while also explaining the reasoning behind the eventual decision to return to Shanghai.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank Ningbo for its work at short notice to host GT World Challenge Asia. We are very grateful for its efforts during what was an extremely fast-moving situation that required quick decisions and solutions.
“Nevertheless, customer racing and the relationships around it underpin SRO Motorsports Group’s global activities and hard-earned reputation. Following our clients’ input I believe we have found the best solution to what has been a very challenging situation to navigate.”
Therefore, SRO believes the revised arrangement provides greater stability and a more suitable long-term outcome for all parties involved.
Shanghai continues important role on calendar
Shanghai International Circuit previously hosted the GTWC Asia season finale in 2024, marking the venue’s first appearance on the calendar following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in China.
The circuit remains one of the championship’s flagship venues and regularly attracts strong manufacturer and team participation. Consequently, its return as the season-ending destination strengthens the profile of the 2026 campaign.
Meanwhile, SRO Motorsports Group has confirmed that details regarding the SRO GT Cup support races, which were originally scheduled for Shanghai before the temporary Ningbo switch, will be announced in due course.
