F1, tight times for a 24 GP calendar
The war in Iran has forced Formula 1 to rethink the 2026 calendar, canceling the stops in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The Circus has never officially confirmed the definitive exclusion from the World Championship of Sakhir and Jeddah, but it is clear that the more weeks pass, the more difficult it will be even to consider their recovery in the second half of the year.
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The F1 president Stefano Domenicali has always been very pragmatic on the subject and has prepared a plan B for weeks. In fact, it would be appropriate to say plan B and plan C, because Qatar and Abu Dhabi are also at risk, which are scheduled at the end of the championship but would naturally be skipped if the conflict in the Middle East continues in the coming months. One thing is certain, and Domenicali himself admitted it: the World Championship will undergo changes compared to the initial plans, the 24 GPs of the “original” calendar will not be run because it will be impossible to recover both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Domenicali’s words
“The decision will be made in the coming months, at the right time. To be honest, I believe recovering both is impossible. Even rescheduling just one will not be easy. There are not many slots available, between Baku and Singapore there is one (the weekend of October 4, ed). I can confirm that we have an emergency plan,” this was the comment from the Imola native to L’Équipe. “If the two end-of-year races cannot be held because the war is not yet over, we have other alternatives. I can therefore confirm that the championship will not end in Las Vegas.”
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“As in the Covid-19 period, we must try to be as pragmatic as possible. We were aware that it would not be possible to hold the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia GPs at that time. We are a company that promotes entertainment, a sport that brings joy and enthusiasm. You have to go to a place where you can really feel that atmosphere. We hope, for Formula 1 but above all for the whole world, that the situation improves as quickly as possible,” he added. “The promoters of Qatar and Abu Dhabi are already selling tickets and doing very well. But there will come a time when we will have to make decisions, because it is not like a football match where there are only two teams, 22 players and substitutions are easy. For us, there are aspects like logistical complexity and costs.”
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