The Formula 1 has set August as the deadline to decide whether it will manage to recover one of the races postponed in the Middle East. The series is still considering the possibility of reintroducing Bahrain or Saudi Arabia to the calendar.
The two rounds were cancelled in March amid the United States and Israel attacks on Iran. With tensions continuing in the past months, F1 also prepared contingency plans in case Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the season-ending races, come under risk.
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of F1, expressed optimism after the signing of a ceasefire and a memorandum of understanding to resolve the conflict in the next 60 days. “I really hope that we can have all the conditions, safety first, of course, for all our professionals, so that we can go there,” he told Sky.
The leader said the sport intends to act if there is room to recover one of the races. “If there is something we can announce related to the possibility of slotting in what has not yet been run, we will do it. At the right time and under the right conditions.”
With the tight calendar, the most viable option would be to use the free week between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix in September, a scenario that would point to the Bahrain Grand Prix as the most likely alternative. Domenicali stated that the decision needs to be made before the August recess due to the logistics involved.
The F1 also has backup plans for the end of the year. If Qatar and Abu Dhabi become threatened, Portimão would appear as an alternative, in a sort of test before the official return of the Portuguese circuit to the calendar in 2027. According to Domenicali, this decision would have to be taken by mid-September.
