F1 Weighs Late-Season Return for a Gulf Race as Safety and Logistics Pinch

Overview

• Liberty Media and Formula 1 executives said they are continuously evaluating the 2026 calendar and could reschedule one of the canceled Middle East rounds toward the end of the season.
• FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem stressed that races will not return while security risks persist, saying human safety comes before motorsport.
• The main windows under review are the gap between Azerbaijan on September 26 and Singapore on October 11 or a slot inside the Las Vegas–Qatar–Abu Dhabi run, each raising heavy freight moves, staff workload, and, in early October, heat concerns.
• One floated fix would add Jeddah between Las Vegas and Qatar by pushing Abu Dhabi back one week, which would create four races in four weeks and disrupt pre-booked finale plans in Abu Dhabi.
• Financial stakes near £100 million in lost Bahrain and Saudi hosting fees add pressure to recover an event, while Turkey’s Istanbul Park is being discussed as a fallback if Gulf security does not improve.