Multiple teams ‘oppose’ F1’s preferred plan for if the Abu Dhabi and Qatar races are cancelled

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Formula 1 chiefs are already making plans for in case the situation in the Middle East does not improve and F1 must cancel this year’s Grands Prix in Abu Dhabi and Qatar.

The 2026 calendar was originally scheduled to feature 24 Grands Prix and six Sprints. But F1 has already had to cancel the rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the situation in the Middle East, and series chiefs are loathe to further reduce the number of races on the billing.

Currently, F1 is due to go to the Lusail International Circuit for the Qatar Grand Prix in round 21 on November 27-29, before going to Yas Marina for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 4-6. But fears linger that F1 may have to skip holding those races in 2026.

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F1 teams oppose plans to stage a second race in Las Vegas, Baku or Singapore in 2026

The Qatar GP and the Abu Dhabi GP’s presences on the 2026 calendar rely on the situation in the Middle East improving before F1 goes to the Gulf region. At present, that is uncertain, so Nextgen Auto reports that F1 chiefs are exploring staging a second race at another round.

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Formula One Management (FOM) would prefer to arrange a second race in Las Vegas, Baku or Singapore should F1 have to cancel the events in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. However, the idea does not have the needed unanimous approval of the F1 teams, as some are ‘opposed’ to it.

So, alternative options are also being explored, including staging a second race in Europe, as Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya chiefs have already suggested the Montmelo track holding a second race. Istanbul Park chiefs have also come forward to offer to stage the Turkish GP in 2026, ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix returning to F1’s calendar in 2027 on a five-year deal.

Istanbul Park would need to rush through the renovations that are currently in the pipeline ahead of the Turkish GP’s return next year, however. F1 may also have to accept that staging a Turkish GP in 2026 would see smaller crowd figures, which makes the race less appealing.

Should FOM ultimately agree with the F1 teams not to replace the races in Abu Dhabi and Qatar with at least an additional Grand Prix in Las Vegas, Baku or Singapore, then the most likely option would be to return to Barcelona or explore a Grand Prix at Imola or Portimao.

For now, F1’s priority is to stage the final two rounds of the 2026 campaign in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The two rounds also bring a lot of money to the championship, which could cause F1 issues after already losing millions by having to cancel the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

F1 cannot wait forever for the situation in the Middle East to improve, either, as the teams will need to start preparing their travel and cargo plans. But simply cancelling the races is not an easy solution, either, as it could skew this year’s F1 drivers’ and constructors’ title battles.

Right now, Mercedes sit atop both championship standings, with their drivers Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell also only 25 points apart through nine rounds. Yet Ferrari ace Lewis Hamilton is in the fight to win his eighth title, with the Briton only 32 points behind Antonelli, and any more changes to the calendar can skew how many points are available.