Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has admitted that the championship will almost certainly be unable to restore both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix to the 2026 calendar, following their cancellation due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
F1 running out of options for a 24-race calendar
The war involving Iran forced Formula 1 to rethink its 2026 schedule, leading to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds. While the sport has never officially ruled out a return for the races at Sakhir and Jeddah later in the season, it is becoming increasingly clear that every passing week makes such a scenario harder to achieve.
Stefano Domenicali has consistently taken a pragmatic approach to the situation and has been working on contingency plans for several weeks. In fact, Formula 1 appears to have not only a Plan B but also a Plan C, given that the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, which are currently scheduled for the final phase of the season, could also be affected if tensions in the region continue in the coming months.
One thing now seems certain: the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship will not follow its original schedule. Domenicali himself has acknowledged that it will be impossible to recover both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, meaning changes to the calendar are inevitable and the original 24-race plan will no longer be achievable.
Stefano Domenicali explains Formula 1’s position
“The decision will be taken in the coming months, at the appropriate time. To be honest, I think recovering both races is impossible. Even rescheduling just one of them will not be easy. There are not many available slots, although there is one between Baku and Singapore,” the Italian manager told L’Équipe, referring to the October 4 weekend.
“I can confirm that we have an emergency plan. If the final two races of the season cannot be held because the war has not ended, we have alternative solutions. Therefore, I can confirm that the championship will not conclude in Las Vegas.”
Domenicali also drew comparisons with Formula 1’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of flexibility and practical decision-making.
“Just as we did during the Covid-19 period, we have to be as pragmatic as possible. We knew that it would not have been possible to hold the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix at that moment. We are a company that promotes entertainment and a sport that brings joy and enthusiasm. We need to go to places where that atmosphere can truly be felt. We hope, for Formula 1 but above all for the entire world, that the situation improves as quickly as possible.”
He also stressed the complexity of making changes to a Formula 1 calendar, especially when major events are already being planned and tickets are already on sale.
“The promoters in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are already selling tickets and sales are going very well. However, there will come a moment when we must make decisions, because this is not like a football match where there are only two teams, 22 players and substitutions are easy to make. For us, factors like logistics and costs must also be taken into account.”
With Formula 1 continuing to monitor developments in the region, attention will now turn to whether one of the cancelled races can be rescheduled and how the championship intends to safeguard a full and competitive calendar should further disruptions affect the season-ending events in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
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