The Israeli-led, US-backed strikes on Iran, invasion of Lebanon, and the retaliatory strikes across the wider region, has caused chaos in the Gulf. Bahrain and Qatar have both suffered missile attacks for a war they didn’t start.
The important thing right now is to call for restraint, calm, a de-escalation, and a quick end to the war. Nobody gains from this action and there is a lot to lose.
Some have called motorsport ‘war by other means’, a peaceful way to advance technology and demonstrate your prowess by doing so on the racetrack. Let us hope for a day when that is where it stays.
For the immediate term, as a blog about motorsport and race calendars, let’s look at the impact on the racing world.
Bahrain and Qatar were scheduled to host motor racing events in the next two months, along with Saudi Arabia. Add in the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and we may see other events at risk later in the year.
One site attacked was just 7km from Bahrain International Airport, the only realistic way of reaching Bahrain International Circuit from abroad, and barely a 30-40 minute drive from the circuit. In Qatar, Lusail International Circuit is in close proximity to Doha. And we’ve all seen the missiles intercepted over Dubai in the UAE.
And with the Saudi Arabian GP also due up soon, although I’ve not seen reporting of attacks on the country, we must remember the Grand Prix itself was threatened in 2022 by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and is therefore also at a serious security risk right now. Nothing can be considered off the table.
I have had a lot of thoughts about all of this but I think it is best to save those for another time and focus on what the racing world needs to do next, while we all hope for a return to calmer times.
International air travel
A significant amount of international air travel these days is routed through the region. This will have a knock-on effect to global business and will include the travel plans for the majority of the race series that travel the world. Many Grands Prix and race teams are sponsored by Gulf-based airlines. Travel to Australia, China and Japan for many team personnel will include stops offs in Dubai or Doha.
You can imagine some frantic changes going on already, big logistical challenges for staff and freight, not to mention the cost increase. These are not insurmountable in this day and age but it’s a burden they don’t need. Not just F1 operations with hundreds of staff flying out, but also something like a small GT team running to a tight budget.
Events At Risk
In the immediate term there are four events to think about in March and April. There is then a gap before major international racing is scheduled to return in November. It is good the Asian Le Mans Series, FR Middle East, UAE F4, etc. all completed their seasons in February.
I will update this page over the next couple of weeks as news comes out.
March & April
- 22 March | FIA WEC | Prologue, Qatar – Moved to 14 April at Imola;
- 28 March | FIA WEC | Qatar 1812km – Rescheduled to 24 October;
Qatar 1812km postponed (DSC 03/03/26)
Prologue moved to Imola (DSC 06/03/26)
New Qatar 1812km date confirmed (DSC 13/03/26)
Race postponed to ‘second half of season’. If things calm by mid-summer I would expect this race to be rescheduled to late October, there is a gap in the schedule, and the Bahrain race is in November.
Edit 13/03/26: race rescheduled to 24 October.
If tensions are still high by September, I anticipate Qatar and Bahrain will be cancelled and WEC may attempt to run one race somewhere else in replacement.
The Prologue has been moved to Imola on the Tuesday of race week.
- 12 April | MotoGP | Qatar Grand Prix – Moved to 8 November;
Carlos Ezpeleta says they have been talking with Qatar/Lusail and while it is unlikely they will go, they can’t it rule out just yet. (Motorsport.com 04/03/26)
Edit 17/03/26: Qatar MotoGP has been moved to 8 November. Portimao and Valencia are each delayed by 1 week to allow for kit to freight back to Europe. (MotoGP.com 15/03/26).
- 12 April | F1 | Bahrain Grand Prix – Cancelled;
- 19 April | F1 | Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Cancelled;
Also worth noting Formula 2 and Formula 3 are scheduled to go from Melbourne to their next race in Bahrain. Decisions need to be taken on this.
Edit 14/03/26: These races have been cancelled, along with F2 & F3 support races.
Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April (F1.com 14/03/26)
This announcement only mentions April but I cannot see how they will be rescheduled this year. Even if the situation in the region becomes stable in time for later in the year, the F1 schedule from September to December is too condensed to fit any more races.
Later in the year
Motorsport returns to the Gulf region at the end of the year. I’m expecting we won’t hear decisions about these until August/September at the earliest.
- 14 November | FIA WEC | 8H Bahrain – TBC;
- 29 November | F1 | Qatar Grand Prix – TBC;
- 6 December | F1 | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – TBC;
Let us hope the situation has calmed by then and that cooler heads have prevailed.
There are only losers from this conflict, there are no winners.
I Watch Too Much Racing 
93 million people living in Iran might disagree with you about winners and losers when the despotic, theocratic regime, which hangs women who are raped for being whores, has murdered thousands of gay men over the years, and stones women to death for adultery whilst the man is blameless, is toppled. Not to mention the state-sponsored terrorism around the world it promotes.
‘International’ law and the human rights brigade are all very quiet on these subjects.
The best possible outcome would be Iran hosting F1, WEC and numerous other motorsports competitions in the country in 10 years’ time.
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Nobody will be mourning the Ayotollah. I celebrate with the majority of Iranians that he is gone.
Anyone who thinks Iran is going to change after this, that’s wishful thinking. I hope I’m wrong, I really do. You can’t just bomb a place and expect the good guys will just walk in and take over. Where is the organised, armed resistance? Where is the government in exile? Where is the plan for the day after? The decade after? Nowhere.
It is more likely we’ll see a procession of extremist figures rise to the top, who will be executed themselves, in an endless cycle. All the while the missiles fly and the people remain subjugated. The IRGC has the control and all the weapons. Thousands were killed in the last uprising and thousands will die in the next. I would love for them to take over but it’s a big ask.
A decade you say. Iraq 2003. Libya 2010. How would you like to organise the 6 Hours of Baghdad in 2026? Perhaps you’d like to tell us when we’ll see the triumphant return of the Tripoli Grand Prix. Nobody denies those rulers were tyrants with horrifying records, but those places aren’t exactly safe in 2026 either. If there had been a nation-building plan, those places could be open democracies on the road to success.
Without one, the best case scenario for Iran will be the same: a bad guy will be gone, there will be some lawlessness for years, the world will move on and forget about them. The worst case is it will get even more extremist.
This is why we have international law. A plan, backed by a government in exile, would have UN backing and the support of the world’s nations.
If you think the “human rights brigade” – a very telling comment if ever there was one – is quiet, you haven’t been paying attention. Nobody is defending the Iranian regime, far from it.
I also have a post drafted in which I consider my thoughts on racing in Saudi Arabia and other places. The short version is that, despite my initial scepticism, and it’s still a cash grab and they ain’t perfect by any stretch, racing there could actually win over hearts and minds. At the very least it’s an opportunity to meld modern values with the traditional. Sports-washing it may be, but nobody said it had to be a one-way street.
So yes it would be lovely to apply the same to Iran one day in the distant future. It’s not long ago Saudi was a pariah state nobody dared touch.
But it ain’t gonna be for decades at this rate.
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