2026 cancelled Middle East F1 race: hope revealed
Domenicali is pushing hard to bring back one of the two dropped rounds before the summer break deadline.
The 2026 cancelled Middle East F1 race could come back
Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali has raised hopes that the 2026 cancelled Middle East F1 race could yet return to the calendar. Speaking ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Domenicali confirmed that F1 bosses are actively working to bring back one of the two rounds that were dropped earlier this season.
The races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, both originally scheduled for April, were cancelled due to conflict in the Middle East. As a result, no substitute races were added, dropping the 2026 calendar from 24 down to 22 races and creating a massive five-week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix in late March and the Miami Grand Prix in early May.
At the time of cancellation, there was no suggestion that either race could be rescheduled. But Domenicali has now revealed he is hopeful of restoring one of them, which Sky Sports F1 understand would be the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Why only one 2026 cancelled Middle East F1 race can realistically return
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.
Speaking in a Bloomberg Television interview, he said: “I think to reschedule two events is already quite difficult. Our calendar is already quite full. We may recover one.”
It is understood that from the FIA’s perspective, Bahrain is the favourable option, primarily as freight remains in the country. Officials in Saudi Arabia, however, are believed to be lobbying F1 hard over a reinstatement.
A tight deadline before the summer break
Domenicali revealed that for the Bahrain race to be restored, a decision will need to be made before F1’s summer break, which begins following the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26.
The only feasible window currently available would involve inserting a Grand Prix between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku and the Singapore Grand Prix. The free weekend around October 4 is viewed as the only realistic solution from both a sporting and logistical perspective.
Such a schedule would allow Formula 1 teams to travel from Azerbaijan to the Middle East before continuing toward Singapore without completely disrupting freight operations. Even then, however, the project depends on one absolutely fundamental condition: long-term geopolitical stability in the region.
End-of-season races also under scrutiny
Domenicali also expressed hope the season’s final two races, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, would be able to go ahead as planned. The back-to-back races are scheduled for November 27-29 and December 4-6, with the fact both countries came under attack during the conflict having raised doubts over the events.
Domenicali confirmed: “I can confirm that we have a contingency plan. And if the two end-of-year races cannot take place because the war is not over, we will have other alternatives.”
Turkey has emerged as one possible replacement venue, with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem recently suggesting Istanbul Park could potentially return a year earlier than planned if homologation requirements are completed in time.
For more on how the 2026 season has been shaped by big decisions, check out our piece on Hamilton’s eighth title hunt at Ferrari and the latest news from the British GP qualifying session at Silverstone.
What this means for F1 fans
The prospect of seeing the 2026 cancelled Middle East F1 race back on the schedule is exciting news. It would bring the total race count back up to 23 rounds and give fans, teams and promoters something extra to look forward to in October.
Formula 1 and local organisers are understood to be exploring options that would allow tickets to remain valid should the races be rescheduled later in the year. Alternatively, provisions such as refunds or priority access for future events are also likely to be considered.
No confirmed date has been announced yet. The coming weeks will be crucial. Keep an eye on the official Formula 1 website and the FIA for any official updates on the 2026 calendar.
