Formula 1 leaders are preparing backup plans in case the end-of-season races in Qatar and the Emirates have to be cancelled: the Adelaide circuit is among the options mentioned.
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No races will take place this month following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, while there are no guarantees that the geopolitical situation in the Gulf will return to normal quickly.
According to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, Adelaide had offered to replace a race in the short term, but this was not deemed logistically viable or sufficiently profitable.
Adelaide aims for a return… but an obstacle remains
According to Autosport, Stefano Domenicali and Formula One Management fear that team equipment could end up stuck in the Middle East if shipments take place before a resolution of the conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
In addition to obvious security concerns, this explains why a plan B is being studied for the end of the season. F1 can absorb the loss of two races, but losing four would represent an estimated shortfall of 150 million dollars, not counting potential penalties related to television broadcasters whose contracts stipulate a certain number of Grands Prix.
Domenicali wants to anticipate and make a decision several months in advance to give replacement circuits time to adapt their infrastructure and organize ticketing.
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A second race in Melbourne in November or early December could have been considered, but the Albert Park circuit is under renovation during that period. Adelaide was proposed again, but without gaining broad support. The Adelaide street circuit hosted the Australian Grand Prix from 1985 to 1995 and has organized the popular Motorsport Festival in recent years (photo above). Note that it will host MotoGP in 2027, on a modified layout.
A postponement of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix?
The F1 statement last month indicated that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races would not be held in April, without mentioning definitive cancellation. Jeddah circuit officials are pushing for a rescheduling at the end of the season, as was the case for the first edition in 2021.
MotoGP, initially scheduled for Qatar in April, has already been moved to early November in the hope of an improvement in the situation, as has the WEC event. In the event of the cancellation of the end-of-championship F1 rounds, the options considered most realistic remain Turkey and Malaysia. The Istanbul Park circuit could return to the calendar as early as 2027, but an early return is possible with temporary facilities.
Formula 1 visited there in 2020 and 2021 during the seasons disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, cooler temperatures at the end of the year could dampen attendance. The Sepang circuit, which already hosts MotoGP at the end of October, would be an ideal alternative, provided that local authorities agree to invest.