Earlier this year, Formula 1 made the only logical decision it could. With the Middle East conflict involving Iran escalating, F1 officially cancelled the back-to-back Bahrain (April 12) and Saudi Arabian (April 19) Grands Prix. It was a massive financial hit, but FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was crystal clear regarding the step: “Humans are always the priority.”
But like every other sport, morals come with an expiration date. And it looks like F1 might end up going back and reevaluating everything. Especially more so when millions of dollars are on the line.
According to fresh reports, executives from Liberty Media and the FIA are actively “evaluating” a way to parachute the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix back onto the 2026 calendar. The problem? The only way to fit Jeddah into an already packed late-season schedule is to create an unprecedented, downright dangerous logistical gauntlet: four races in four consecutive weeks.
Formula 1’s December Nightmare
As of now, the 2026 season is set to conclude with a brutal, globe-trotting triple-header. Las Vegas Grand Prix (Nov 22), the Qatar Grand Prix (Nov 29), and the traditional season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Dec 6). But former F1 driver Robert Doornbos had clarified something important back on Ziggo Sport’s De Stamtafel program. “They now say that they are moving Abu Dhabi by a week and that they are slotting Jeddah in between,” Doornbos revealed. “That means you finish the season with four races in a row – Las Vegas, Qatar, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi.”
To understand how absurd this is, you have to look at the geography and, of course, the human toll. Formula 1 teams are already stretched to the breaking point, moving thousands of tons of freight from the Nevada desert to the Middle East in a matter of days. On top of this, when you are forcing mechanics, engineers, and drivers to endure a quadruple-header across those time zones isn’t just exhausting. It is borderline negligent.
If Jeddah is wedged into the December 6 slot, Abu Dhabi would be forcibly pushed back to December 13. Now, on paper, moving a race by 7 days might seem like nothing, but it is a huge headache for the Yas Marina Circuit.
You see, global acts like Lewis Capaldi and Zara Larsson have already been booked for the original December dates. A sudden calendar shift would force organizers to rip up global touring schedules, rebook thousands of VIP hospitality packages, and cause widespread chaos for international fans who have already locked in flights and non-refundable hotels.
The Aramco Factor
So why on earth would Formula 1 even consider blowing up the end of the season? Well, the straightforward answer would be Saudi Aramco. The state-majority-owned oil giant isn’t just the title sponsor of the Jeddah race; they are one of the most powerful global partners of Formula 1 itself.
Now, between the lost races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, F1 stands to lose an estimated £100 million in hosting fees alone. While for F1, the million-dollar bill might not seem like much. However, Saudi Arabia’s commercial and strategic footprint is simply too massive for Liberty Media to ignore.
While sports executives claim they are keeping “security and safety paramount.” You never know when these paddock rumors translate into reality. And F1 is forced to test the absolute physical limits of its teams just to ensure the Saudi Aramco checks are still clear in 2026.
