Holding significant history in the Australian motorsport landscape, the returning name will replace the APC Enduro Championship moniker.

The new name exemplifies the change made ahead of this season to move to an all-enduro calendar, adding prestige to the five-round series.

First contested during the Group C era of Australian touring cars in 1981, future champions will join an exclusive list of drivers.

Previous winners include all-time greats such as Allan Moffat, Jim Richards, Peter McLeod, and Glenn Seton, and modern stars like Grant Denyer, Tony D’Alberto, and Garth Tander.

The championship has gone through several iterations, first contested by touring cars, before moving to production cars and finally a GT era.

It was last contested by production cars in 2015.

“Bringing back the Australian Endurance Championship name is a significant step and reflects where the category is heading,” said category manager Paul Buccini.

“There’s strong momentum, and this aligns with the level of cars, competition and professionalism we’re building.

“Our focus is on delivering true endurance racing, and this sets the tone for a big 2026 season.”

The first four rounds will be contested as part of the AASA Hi-Tec Oils Super Series, before a standalone six-hour event at Sandown for the season finale.

Australian Endurance Championship 2026 Calendar
Round 1 – Ipswich 3 Hour – May 1-2 – Queensland Raceway
Round 2 – Sydney 3 Hour – July 17-18 – Sydney Motorsport Park
Round 3 – Fight in the Night – Aug 14-15 – Queensland Raceway
Round 4 – Winton 3 Hour – Sept 25-26 – Winton
Round 5 – AASA 6 Hours of Sandown – Dec 6-7 – Sandown