F1 targets October slot for possible Bahrain Grand Prix

Formula 1 plans to decide before its August summer break whether it can restore one of two Middle East races removed from the 2026 calendar, with Bahrain emerging as the leading candidate. The Bahrain Grand Prix was originally scheduled for April before it was canceled amid the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. If it returns, it would most likely fill the only practical opening on the calendar, the one-week gap between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix in early October, with possible dates cited as Oct. 2-4 or Oct. 4. That would lift the 2026 schedule from 22 races to 23, leaving it one race short of the original 24-round plan.

Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said any announcement would depend on “the right timing and conditions” and had to come before the break after the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26 because of logistics. Domenicali said the sport wants to proceed as planned if the security situation allows. A late Bahrain addition would leave nine races to be run in 11 weeks and create another triple-header late in the season.

The series is also monitoring the season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, which are set for Nov. 27-29 and Dec. 4-6. F1 has drawn up contingency plans in case either event cannot stay on the schedule, and Portimao in Portugal has been identified as the backup venue. Portimao would serve as an emergency replacement and a possible test run ahead of its planned return to the calendar in 2027, with a final deadline for backup plans expected in mid-September.