Formula 1’s 2026 calendar is still not set in stone, with chief executive Stefano Domenicali keeping alive the possibility of restoring a lost race as the sport navigates political uncertainty, logistical pressure, and an increasingly compressed schedule.
But the series executives are racing against a tight summer deadline to patch the remaining holes in the schedule and deliver a full-throttle conclusion to the campaign.
The disruption traces back to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, originally slotted as rounds four and five in April.
The axing of those events, driven by regional instability from the US-Israeli war with Iran, left the sport navigating an unprecedented, unplanned five-week spring hiatus.
While those cancellations trimmed the ambitious 24-race schedule down to 22, behind-the-scenes maneuvers suggest the paddock hasn't given up on expanding the itinerary back to 23 events by resurrecting the round in Sakhir.
A crucial summer deadline
For the proposed expansion to materialize, Domenicali faces an incredibly narrow window of opportunity.
"I think that the gap to do the eventual possibility of doing one of the races that we have not done, we need to do it before the summer break," Domenicali told Sky Sports F1, underscoring the urgency facing teams and promoters alike.
If successful, the revival plan would place Bahrain on a vacant October 4 slot, neatly wedged between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix.
However, this adjustment would trigger a grueling logistical gauntlet for the teams: a brutal final stretch featuring nine races squeezed into just 11 weeks, defined by three consecutive triple-headers separated by mere single-week breathers.
"If there is something that we can announce also related to the possibility of seeing if there is any space for what has not been done so far, we're going to do it, in the right moment and the right conditions," Domenicali stated regarding the ongoing negotiations.
"That is really the hope, because if all the conditions are right, we're going to go ahead with our plan. If there is a chance, why not?"
Contingencies and the road ahead
Reinserting Bahrain onto the autumn schedule would signal a strong vote of confidence from F1 leadership that the final flyaway races can proceed as planned.
However, geopolitical friction continues to cast a shadow over the sport’s traditional season-ending venues in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Acknowledging the persistent instability in the Middle East, Liberty Media and Formula 1 have quietly established robust safety nets to ensure the championship reaches a proper sporting conclusion.
Should escalation force F1 to abandon its planned stops in the Gulf, Portimão in Portugal stands ready as the primary contingency option. Under that fallback scenario, the Portuguese circuit would step in to host a substitute season finale immediately following the high-stakes street race in Las Vegas.
With the July 26 deadline rapidly approaching, the next few weeks will determine whether the 2026 championship settles for a truncated calendar or embarks on one of the most intense, continent-spanning marathons in motorsport history.
Read also: Portimao back on F1 calendar for 2027 and 2028
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