F1 addresses further plans for Middle East Grands Prix amid ongoing war

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has confirmed that the sport has contingency plans in place should the ongoing Middle East conflict force further Grand Prix cancellations, while Liberty Media's CEO hinted that one of the April races could still be rescheduled later in the 2026 season.

No F1 races took place in April this year after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were cancelled due to the conflict involving Iran and the United States. Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang told The Race that it might be possible to reschedule one race toward the end of the season.

Why it matters:

The Middle East conflict has already disrupted the 2026 calendar, and with the season finale in Abu Dhabi and the Qatar Grand Prix still scheduled for late November and early December, further instability could force F1 to reorganize its championship conclusion. Domenicali's comments signal that the sport is preparing for multiple scenarios.

The details:

• Two options have been discussed for rescheduling a cancelled race: slotting it between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix to create a new tripleheader, or reorganizing the final weeks of the season in the Middle East.
• The season currently ends with back-to-back races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. If the war continues, those events could also be at risk.
• Domenicali emphasized that the lead time for decisions differs between recovering an April race and adjusting the season finale, adding that F1 is aligning with teams and promoters.

What's next:

Domenicali stated that F1 has plans "hopefully not to be applied," as the priority is for the situation to return to normal. He declined to speculate on specific replacements, saying the sport will keep everyone informed in due time. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the Middle East races proceed as scheduled.