F1 loses big as ‘$200m’ cost of 2026 race cancellations revealed

Saudi Arabia GP, Jeddah — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 loses big as ‘$200m’ cost of 2026 race cancellations revealed

How the recent race cancellations impact F1

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Monday 16 March 2026 14:58 Updated: 15:16

Following the news that F1's Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix have been cancelled in April, the financial implications of the decision have also been unveiled.

The race in Sakhir was scheduled for 10-12 April, while the Saudi Arabian GP was expected to take place the week after. Now, there will be a five week gap between Japan and Miami (from 27-29 March until 1-3 May) with no replacement races scheduled.

F1's decision to cancel the two races is due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran at the end of February.

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The conflict has already had implications on the F1 season with popular transit hubs in the Gulf, such as Dubai and Doha, closed, rerouting team personnel and freight.

How race cancellations impact F1

As the F1 calendar shrinks to 22 races in 2026, a Guggenheim Partners analyst note reported that the cancellations will cost the sport approximately $190 to $200million (£143 to £151million) in revenue and $80million (£60million) in EBITDA.

While the loss won't cripple F1, they generated $3.87billion in total revenue last year, it exposes just how important races in the Gulf are to their coin purse.

Of course, F1 and the FIA have emphasised safety supersedes everything, with the residential district of Juffair in Manama, where many F1 personnel stay during the race weekend, hosting a US naval base.

How much money do Middle East races bring to F1?

There are currently five Middle East races on the F1 calendar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, and the region provides over $250million (£188million) in annual promoter fees.

While all figures are estimates from Guggenheim, Bahrain is said to pay $45million (£33million) with Saudi Arabia and Qatar both paying $55million each (£41million). Elsewhere on the calendar, Abu Dhabi roughly pays $42million (£31million) and Azerbaijan is said to pay the most with $57million (£43million).

For context, permanent fixtures on the European circuit, such as Silverstone and Monza, pay $26million (£19million) and $20-$30million (£15-£22million) respectively.

F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix