Formula One Management has delayed its decision on whether the 2026 season will conclude in the Middle East, with financial concerns driving the postponement of a call that CEO Stefano Domenicali had promised by mid-September.
The sport faces a standoff over the Qatar Grand Prix on November 29 and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 6. FOM will forfeit its hosting fees — approximately $55 million from Qatar and $42 million from Abu Dhabi, totalling close to $100 million — if it cancels the races. If the promoters pull the plug instead, the financial burden falls on them. Neither side appears willing to make the first move.
Abu Dhabi officials attended the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid and the Yas Marina Circuit continues to sell tickets, projecting confidence that the race will proceed. Behind the scenes, however, Imola is already being prepared as a contingency venue, with hotels in the Emilia-Romagna region fully booked by F1 personnel and a December 6 race date expected.
F1 teams have been internally informed that they will not travel to the Middle East, according to reports. The situation echoes the earlier cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix in April, which cost the sport an estimated $190-200 million in total revenue impact when combining lost hosting fees, hospitality and sponsorship income. A replacement for the Bahrain race, branded as the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, takes place at Sepang next weekend.
The uncertainty carries sporting implications. Championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli holds an 81-point advantage with 233 points still available. Reducing the number of rounds would limit the points on offer and could effectively decide the title by default.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the governing body will be guided by local promoters. "We can't jump the gun and just say we are cancelling," he told reporters.
A decision is now expected in early October after this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, though the longer F1 waits the harder it becomes to organise a replacement event.
Sources
- https://www.racefans.net/2026/09/23/money-fears-delay-f1s-decision-on-whether-middle-east-races-will-happen-report/
- https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/abu-dhabi-promoters-dig-in-as-fom-walks-a-tightrope-over-hosting-fees-worth-tens-of-millions
