F1 chief reveals hope of restoring cancelled race to 2026 schedule
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- Stefano Domenicali confirmed F1 is hoping to restore one of two races cancelled earlier in 2026 — the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix, both pulled due to Middle East conflict when originally scheduled for April
- Sky Sports F1 understands the rescheduled race would be the Bahrain Grand Prix, placed in an October 2-4 window between the Azerbaijan and Singapore rounds
- Domenicali set a hard pre-summer-break deadline, saying a decision must come before the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26 that closes the first half of the season
- Qatar (Nov 27-29) and Abu Dhabi (Dec 4-6), the season's planned finale, also face uncertainty after both countries came under attack during the conflict — though Domenicali said he hopes they go ahead
- The article notes a successful Bahrain rescheduling in October would effectively serve as a confidence test for whether the final two Middle East rounds can be staged as planned
Why it matters: Domenicali's pre-summer-break deadline turns Bahrain into a litmus test: if F1 can reinstate the race in early October, Qatar and Abu Dhabi likely follow in November-December — but if conditions aren't right, three consecutive rounds vanish from the calendar. Teams, broadcasters, and the 2026 points fight all hang on a decision that must land within roughly three weeks of the British GP.
