F1 2026 calendar reshuffle in ‘overtime’ as 2026 Saudi Arabian GP timeline emerges

F1 2026 calendar efforts are in ‘overtime’ with a decision on reinstating the Saudi Arabian GP expected within weeks.

Discussions between organisers of the event and Formula One Management have been ongoing, while sources with knowledge of the matter have told Planetf1.com that a decision is approaching.

F1 2026 calendar talks continue as Saudi Arabian Grand Prix return decision nears

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It was announced over the Chinese Grand Prix that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian events would not go ahead as scheduled.

The initial announcement, however, left the door open for a possible return, should the situation in the Middle East recover such that it allows F1 to compete in the region.

There is a financial incentive too, with the two events understood to be worth in excess of $100 million to FOM.

While no firm decision has yet been made, it’s understood there are efforts ongoing to look at how the races could be reinstated.

The most likely window of opportunity comes at the end of the year, with a number of suggestions being floated as to how the schedule may be reworked.

PlanetF1.com understands the current idea is to slot Saudi Arabia into the calendar in December, a move that would force the Abu Dhabi finale to be delayed by at least a week.

A source with knowledge of the matter added to PlanetF1.com that a decision on that would be made “in 2 or 3 weeks.”

Speaking on an investor call following the announcement of Liberty Media’s first quarter financials, Brian Wendling noted that the organisation is working on the assumption that the events won’t be reinstated, despite efforts otherwise.

“We’re focus on a 22-race calendar,” said Wendling, Liberty’s chief accounting officer.

“We’re still hopeful that we can move one of those races to the back part of the year, and so that would be upside, but that’s what’s in the forecast at this point, it’s the 22 races.”

Liberty CEO Derek Chang added: “We are evaluating all the various alternatives and trying to make decisions in a timely fashion that will give us as much lead time to the extent we make changes and make adjustments.”

One of those alternatives has been potentially running a second race in Las Vegas.

The Vegas event is promoted by Liberty Media, giving it complete control over the process, assuming all local requirements were met with the city itself given the local disruption that would result.

It does, however, afford a useful option should other events in the Middle East be unable to go ahead, though a second Vegas race does raise several financial questions in terms of who would foot the bill, or whether FOM would wear the cost in the hope it offsets potential advertising losses at the cancelled events.

Alternatively, a window in October has been identified, with suggestions Bahrain could slot in between Azerbaijan and Singapore on the October 2-4 weekend.

While it would create another triple-header, it would avoid the need to reschedule other events, or create a long tail to the F1 2026 season.

Running either Bahrain or Saudi Arabian events on December 6, and pushing Abu Dhabi back a week, would create a quadruple-header to end the year.

“The wellbeing of everyone in F1 comes first and we always manage the calendar with that principle in mind”, said Chang.

However, he conceded that “it might be possible to reschedule one race toward the end of the season.”

More on the F1 2026 calendar

Formula 1’s realistic replacement options if Middle East races falter
F1 circuit contracts: What is the current contract status of every track?

A pre-requisite for the return of either Bahrain or Saudi is an improved situation in the region.

Domenicali has been working “overtime” monitoring the situation in the hope that an opportunity to reprise the events does present itself.

“The only thing I can say is that we have plans, hopefully not to be applied, because we really hope that the situation for the world, not only for the racing, will go back to a normal situation,” he said.

“Of course, the lead time, or the cut off really, is different between what we can eventually recover that has not been run in April versus what could eventually happen or not happen in the end of November, beginning of December.

“We are, of course, aligning with the teams and with the promoters, because that’s something that has a big chain of reaction.

“In the due time, we will keep everyone informed,” he added.

“But I hope you understand  if we just say something that will be a speculation that we want to avoid, because, as I said, the first hope is to make sure that we go back to the place that we should be.”

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