F1 2027 calendar announcement imminent as Middle East plans surface

The F1 2027 calendar is expected to be revealed in the coming week – and is set to include the Bahrain, Saudi Arabian, Qatar and Abu Dhabi grands prix as planned.

The long-awaited calendar is set to go to an e-vote in the coming days before being announced in the middle of the week.

F1 2027 calendar to retain Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi

At present, the F1 2027 calendar is still unconfirmed, which is considerably later in the year than usual; for example, the F1 2026 calendar was confirmed by FOM and the FIA in June 2025.

However, in mid-September 2026, next year’s schedule is still to be revealed, but PlanetF1.com understands that the calendar will be revealed to the world by the middle of the week following the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.

The proposed schedule is set to go to an e-vote at the World Motor Sport Council, ahead of ratification, on Monday.

The reason for the uncertainty regarding the calendar has been due to the unsettled geopolitics in the Middle East, although it’s expected that all four of the usual races in the region will feature as planned.

This means that, following pre-season testing in Bahrain, the year will still kick off at the Manama venue, with the suggested date being March 14, the first weekend after Ramadan concludes on March 8.

Saudi Arabia is expected to be the second round, before a series of races across Australasia with races in Melbourne, Shanghai, and Suzuka, before a return to the Americas before the European season.

The season is scheduled to conclude, as usual, in the Middle East with back-to-back races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

From PlanetF1.com’s research earlier this year, the below table is likely to closely resemble the calendar as is set to be revealed in the coming week.

Potential F1 2027 calendar

However, the inclusion of the Middle Eastern races on the calendar does not necessarily mean that their scheduling will actually result in the races taking place, leading to the unwelcome scenario of several races being presented with asterisks of uncertainty.

Sources have suggested that back-up events may already be in the pipeline for these weekends.

This is largely similar to what is happening this year, with Malaysia’s Sepang playing host to the Bahrain Grand Prix in October, a rescheduling of the event that was supposed to take place in Manama in April.

At present, the two final races of 2026 in Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain on the calendar as scheduled, with senior sources insisting the plan of action remains travelling to the Middle East for the season conclusion.

However, it’s understood that the situation is in a holding pattern between the commercial rights holder and the Middle Eastern promoters, with significant race hosting fees still due to FOM should the cancellations be made by the promoters; FOM itself cancelling the races would mean forfeiting these fees.

PlanetF1.com also understands promoters from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are in Madrid this weekend as preparations in Yas Marina continue as if the event will go ahead as planned.

With a backstop in place, understood to be a round at Imola on the weekend of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, sources have indicated a final decision can be made quite late in the year, although others have suggested a hard and fast decision will be needed by the end of September in order to secure any remaining logistical considerations.

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