(Motorsport-Total.com) – Actually, the 2026 Formula 1 calendar was finalized and presented eleven months ago. But due to the cancellation of the two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, it is currently completely unclear how many Grands Prix will actually be held this year – and when.
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As of now, there are only 22 races left on the calendar. The finale is scheduled to take place on December 6 in Abu Dhabi. The problem, however, is that both the Abu Dhabi GP and the Qatar Grand Prix a week earlier are currently two more uncertain candidates.
Like Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, both countries have already been victims of Iranian attacks in the current regional war. FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem has therefore already announced that Formula 1 would also forgo these two races if necessary.
“God forbid that [the war] lasts until October or November,” Sulayem is quoted by RacingNews365. In that case, Formula 1 will not race there, “because safety comes first,” emphasizes the FIA President.
In this scenario, the Formula 1 calendar would shrink to 20 races, with the scheduled last Grand Prix then taking place on November 21 in Las Vegas. However, the top class is currently also planning for the opposite case.
Meaning: What happens if the hostilities in the region end? Then at least one of the two canceled races in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia could still take place afterwards – provided a suitable gap in the calendar is found.
“Quadruple-header” at the end of the season?
However, this is exactly where the problem lies, because in the second half of the season there is at most a one-week break between two races. The only realistic date would be the first weekend in October, which would create a new triple-header with the races in Baku (September 26) and Singapore (October 11).
Simply extending the season by one week is problematic because Abu Dhabi is contractually guaranteed the finale. That means: If the season were extended, Abu Dhabi would automatically have to be pushed back by one week to remain the last race.
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Formula 1 races that had to be canceled
In fact, there are also plans in this direction. However, if a race were to be rescheduled and placed on the original Abu Dhabi date, it would result in a “quadruple-header” with four consecutive races including Las Vegas and Qatar.
The current triple-header with Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi already pushes many paddock staff to their limits at the end of an already long season, so another race would hardly be feasible.
In addition, rescheduling the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix would be difficult because ticket sales are already underway and many fans have already booked flights and hotels for the first weekend in December. The same applies to teams and other people in the paddock.
Surprising Turkey comeback already in 2026?
Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali recently told CNBC that there is “a deadline” by which a decision must be made whether racing can take place in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. If that is the case, the next step would likely be to discuss whether and when Bahrain and/or Saudi Arabia can be rescheduled.
Interestingly, FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem also mentioned Turkey in this context as a possibility for another race this year, “provided they receive their homologation and all other requirements are met.”
If Bahrain and Saudi Arabia cannot be rescheduled, the Istanbul track could instead make an early comeback. It is actually scheduled to return to the calendar only in 2027.
Because it is not yet foreseeable how the situation in the Middle East will develop in the coming months, everything currently seems possible regarding the Formula 1 calendar – from a worst-case scenario with only 20 races to the best case with more than 22 championship rounds in the end.
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