F1 insider claims Saudi Arabian Grand Prix could still take place in 2026

One F1 insider has claimed that the 2026 calendar could be restored to 23 races after this month's cancellations.

Both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were cancelled this April due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with no replacement races introduced in their place.

There has also been no word from F1 as to whether Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will appear later on in the 2026 schedule, although the sport and the FIA maintain they are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East.

Now according to former Dutch racing driver Robert Doornbos, the 2026 schedule could feature 23 races. The 44-year-old revealed on Race Cafe that organisers in Jeddah are pulling out all the stops to secure a return to the calendar.

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Will Saudi Arabian GP return?

Doornbos cites rumours that Saudi Arabia, led by Formula 1 sponsor Aramco and the Aston Martin F1 Team, are working hard to stage a race later this year. He explained: "They are heavily promoting the Jeddah event, it’s their pride and joy. Jeddah must make its comeback on the calendar this year."

The Dutchman adds that the plan is to delay the Abu Dhabi finale by a week, and he continued: "They propose pushing Abu Dhabi back and slotting in Jeddah. This change would cap off the season with four consecutive races - Las Vegas, Qatar, Jeddah, and Abu Dhabi. While the timing works for the latter three, Las Vegas is a bit of a stretch. Essentially, we’d be adding an extra race."

He believes the scheduling flexibility is feasible because of Abu Dhabi’s longstanding contract. "For fifteen years now, their agreement has guaranteed that they always host the final race," Doornbos concluded.

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