F1 eyes backup venues as Gulf conflict threatens season finale

Formula 1 faces growing uncertainty over the final stretch of its 2026 season as the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict continues to cast doubt on whether races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi can proceed as scheduled in late November and early December.

Season-Ending Races in Jeopardy

The Qatar Grand Prix, set for November 27-29, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, scheduled for December 4-6, remain on the calendar but are under increasing threat as hostilities in the Gulf region persist. F1 already cancelled races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in March after Iranian missiles and drones targeted cities across the Gulf, reducing the 2026 calendar from a record-equalling 24 races to 22.aljazeera+3

F1 president Stefano Domenicali confirmed at the start of July that the championship has contingency plans in place. "I can confirm that we have a contingency plan," Domenicali said. "If the two races at the end of the year are cancelled due to ongoing hostilities, we will have other alternatives."grandprix

Backup Plans Take Shape

According to Motorsport.com, F1 had been planning to announce the reinstatement of the Bahrain Grand Prix for the first weekend of October — which would slot between Azerbaijan (September 25-27) and Singapore (October 9-11) — but renewed U.S. strikes on Iran disrupted those plans. F1 has set a mid-September deadline to finalize major calendar changes.motorsport+1

Portimão in Portugal has emerged as the primary fallback option if Qatar and Abu Dhabi are ultimately scrapped, according to The Race, while Imola is also under consideration as a replacement venue. SportBible reported on Monday that a second race at Azerbaijan or Singapore is also being explored as an alternative to a Gulf return.sportbible+1

WEC Already Pivots to Europe

The FIA World Endurance Championship is further along in its contingency planning. The series is set to replace its planned trips to Qatar and Bahrain with races at Barcelona and Monza, according to DailySportsCar, with Barcelona penciled in for October 18 and Monza occupying the November 7 weekend originally reserved for the Bahrain finale.dailysportscar

The situation remains fluid. The U.S. launched new strikes against more than 80 targets in Iran last week, while Iran has retaliated against U.S. military installations across Bahrain and Kuwait. The head of the Qatar Motorsport Federation has insisted his country remains "fully prepared" to host its race at any moment, but with hostilities showing no sign of abating, F1's hand may ultimately be forced.cnn+2