F1 shares a backup plan for Qatar and Abu Dhabi GPs as other race options come up.
Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of Formula 1, shared that the sport has a backup plan in case the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix can’t happen this season.
Originally, the 2026 season was set to have 24 races, but that dropped to 22 after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races were canceled due to the conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel.
The FIA hasn’t announced any replacement races yet, but Marco Panieri, the Mayor of Imola, said his track is ready to host a Grand Prix if they get the chance.
Good news for fans of the Turkish Grand Prix too — it will be back on the calendar permanently from 2027 at Istanbul Park.
There’s talk that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia might return if the situation in the Middle East improves, but it’s tricky because the schedule is already tight.
The conflict has caused uncertainty about the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races planned for November 29 and December 6. However, even if those don’t happen, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia’s situations likely won’t have changed.
In an interview with French paper L’Equipe, Domenicali said F1 has a backup plan in place if more races need to be canceled. He also mentioned there are other Grand Prix events that could step in if needed.
Importantly, the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 22 won’t be the last race of the season, so at least 21 races are expected.
“Tickets for Qatar and Abu Dhabi are selling very well,” Domenicali said. “But at some point, we’ll have to make decisions. It’s not like football, where you just swap players; for us, there are big costs and logistics involved. I can confirm we do have a plan B if the year-end races can’t go ahead because of ongoing conflicts.”
After F1’s summer break, there are a few gaps in the schedule, mainly during the European races until the end of September, which could be used for replacement events.
One possible slot is the two weeks between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix. There’s also a two-week window between Singapore and the US Grand Prix in Austin.
Another option is November 15, between the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and the Las Vegas race, which is on a Saturday night.
So, even with uncertainties, F1 is ready to keep things running smoothly and keep fans excited!