Formula 1 and the FIA are currently considering the possibility of adding at least one Grand Prix to this season’s calendar, after the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races last month.
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The conflict in the Middle East, notably marked by attacks from Iran in the region, forced the authorities to announce that these two Grands Prix could not take place in April.
However, this wording leaves the door open for rescheduling, with both events remaining candidates for a return later in the year.
Initially, this option seemed difficult to consider due to an already very busy calendar after the summer break, with 11 races scheduled over 16 weekends.
A window in October under consideration
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali recently indicated that a race could be recovered. According to several reports, the weekend from October 2 to 4, situated between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix, is currently under consideration.
On the FIA side, the return of Bahrain seems favored, notably for logistical reasons: some of the equipment is already on site (photo above). Saudi Arabia, for its part, is actively pushing to reintegrate its event.
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A high-tension season finale
Another option considered would be a sequence of four consecutive races to conclude the season. This would notably involve inserting Saudi Arabia between Qatar and Abu Dhabi, after Las Vegas.
The calendar would then be extremely dense, with a finale shifted to December 13 at the Yas Marina Circuit.
While this solution is technically feasible, it raises serious concerns from a human perspective: the workload for the teams could become unbearable at the end of the season.
Contractual and logistical constraints
Another major problem concerns spectators who have already booked tickets, flights, and accommodations for the Abu Dhabi race scheduled for early December. Moreover, contractually, this event must close the season, which prevents moving the last round.
In summary, although several scenarios are under study, Formula 1 must juggle logistical constraints, contractual commitments, and the well-being of the teams before deciding if a canceled Grand Prix can indeed be rescheduled.