The World Endurance Championship has accepted a request by the Fuji Circuit to move the event to a new date in order to avoid a clash with the United States Grand Prix, allowing Fernando Alonso to contest the race.
Two-time Formula 1 champion Alonso will contest the upcoming WEC 'Super Season' with Toyota alongside his F1 commitments with McLaren. However a date clash between the Six Hours of Fuji and the US GP meant he would miss round four of the WEC season.
Fuji, which is owned by Toyota, put in a request to relocate the race to October 12-14 – a week earlier than originally scheduled – to avoid such a clash and that has been accepted by series organisers.
However the change now means Fuji will clash with IMSA's Petit Le Mans, a decision which will likely anger several drivers who had planned to race at both, including Mike Conway, Harry Tincknell, Olivier Pla, Bruno Senna and Renger van der Zande among others.
Alonso faces a gruelling 26-race calendar, including five back-to-back events starting with the Canadian GP, 24 Hours of Le Mans and then the French, Austrian and British grands prix.