Saudi GP could be reinstated in December, forcing Abu Dhabi to move to 13 December

Saudi GP cancellation may not be final

The recently called-off Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix could still be rearranged and held later this year, according to Abu Dhabi GP ambassador Robert Doornbos.

As a result, the 2026 season now features 22 Grands Prix instead of the originally planned 24. The cancelled races were previously said not to be rescheduled in April, but Doornbos suggested the Saudi event could still find a place elsewhere on the calendar.

“I heard something else,” he told Ziggo Sport’s De Stamtafel programme.

“We know Aramco as the sponsor of Formula 1. They are promoting the event in Jeddah enormously, because that is their gem. Jeddah could yet come back to the calendar this year.”

Aramco, also known as Saudi Aramco, is a state majority-owned oil and gas company that supports a range of major sporting properties, including Formula 1, and also partners with organisations such as FIFA and the ICC.

Doornbos added that the latest suggestion is for Abu Dhabi to be moved back by a week to make room for Jeddah.

“They now say that they are moving Abu Dhabi by a week and that they are slotting Jeddah in between,” he said.

“That means you finish the season with four races in a row – Las Vegas, Qatar, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi.”

What it could mean for Abu Dhabi

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit is currently confirmed to run from Thursday 3 December to Sunday 6 December, keeping its traditional place as the season-ending round of the F1 calendar.

But if Saudi Arabia were reinstated, there is a scenario in which Abu Dhabi could be pushed back to Sunday 13 December to preserve that finale slot while accommodating a reshuffled calendar.

That would carry consequences well beyond the race itself. The Yasalam after-race concerts are a central part of Abu Dhabi’s event identity, and organisers have already confirmed Lewis Capaldi and Zara Larsson for the opening night of the current December 3–6 weekend.

A move to December 13 would immediately create logistical complications for those performances, with touring schedules for major artists typically locked in months ahead across travel, production and rehearsal commitments.

The wider impact would also stretch into hospitality and tourism. Hotels, transport providers and VIP hospitality packages are all arranged around the original weekend, and a date change would force large-scale reworking of bookings while leaving thousands of international fans to adjust their plans.

Bahrain as a possible alternative

Doornbos also hinted at the possibility of a rescheduled Bahrain GP, but if one race has to take priority, Saudi Arabia would likely be favoured for practical reasons.

Saudi Arabia has a larger commercial and strategic footprint in global sport, particularly through its long-term investment in Formula 1 and wider motorsport expansion. That gives Jeddah greater significance for the sport’s growth plans and broadcast value.

It also has a broader push to use major events as part of its national sporting strategy, which can make it more likely to be protected or reworked if disruption occurs.

Bahrain remains highly important as a long-standing season opener, but it functions more as a stable anchor race, making it harder to move than a later round with more calendar flexibility.