Aug.5 (GMM) Formula 1’s Middle East uncertainty is now disrupting plans for 2027, with Barcelona emerging as the likely replacement for Bahrain’s traditional pre-season test.
The ongoing conflict involving Iran has already forced Bahrain’s 2026 race to move to Malaysia and left Jeddah without a rescheduled date, and Qatar and Abu Dhabi under threat later this season.
Formula 1 is now also delaying publication of the 2027 calendar until autumn while preparing alternative plans for both testing and races.
Bahrain is currently expected to host pre-season testing and the opening round next year, but teams need early certainty to organise car launches, freight and preparations.
Barcelona circuit general manager Josep Lluis Santamaria and his team have reportedly made securing the test their top priority and held several meetings with F1 executives.
Stefano Domenicali confirmed Formula 1 will publish a conventional 2027 race calendar first, but may alter it during the winter.
“The calendar presented in autumn will serve as a kind of normal plan,” the Formula 1 CEO said.
“If the situation in the Middle East is not resolved, we naturally have options, meaning another plan.”
“But the trigger for that, of course, is at the end of the year, so we have still a lot of time to adjust.”
Domenicali said Formula 1 remains determined to stage 24 races regardless of which regions are available.
“Just to assure you, we have different plans with different options already in place that will accommodate the fact that we will keep, in any case, the target of 24 races also for next year.”
Portugal and Turkey are expected to return in 2027, potentially giving Formula 1 greater flexibility if its Middle East program remains disrupted.
The F1 CEO admitted the wider political situation is much more serious than Formula 1’s scheduling problem.
“If the situation in that region is not solved for next year, F1 is a marginal point on which we should be worried marginally because the situation will be very bad,” said Domenicali.
Further new races are not expected before 2028, although talks continue with Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand and Argentina.
“Negotiations are progressing very well in Africa,” Domenicali said. “We are having other discussions in South America. We have discussions in the Far East.”
Join Grand Prix Tours in Austin, Texas for the high-energy 2026 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Experience nonstop action on one of Formula 1’s most exciting tracks, featuring dramatic elevation changes, thrilling overtakes, and a packed race weekend. Off the track, enjoy a festival atmosphere with live music, world-famous BBQ, and buzzing nightlife. Your Grand Prix Tours package includes a fully curated race weekend, highlighted by exclusive access to our private F1 Celebrity Talk Show, where guests gain insider insights and behind-the-scenes perspectives. With demand soaring and this event quickly becoming a modern American racing tradition, now is the time to secure your spot for an unforgettable Austin Grand Prix experience.
SHOW PACKAGES
There are motorsport events, and then there is the Indianapolis 500, the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Next year marks Grand Prix Tours' 42nd Indianapolis 500 tour and our decades of experience and local connections provide exclusive access that few fans ever enjoy, including police escorts on race day, a Dallara IndyCar Factory tour, Gasoline Alley and Legends Day, the Driver Introduction Ceremony, and a private dinner with former Indy driver Derek Daly. Combined with excellent hotel accommodations, seamless event planning, and Grand Prix Tours' signature service, this is far more than a race weekend; it's a once-in-a-lifetime motorsport experience. With tour spaces limited each year, we encourage you to reserve your place early for the 111th Indianapolis 500.
SHOW PACKAGES
Experience Formula 1 at its most iconic with an unforgettable trip to the 2027 Grand Prix de Monaco. Feel the excitement as the world’s best drivers race through the legendary streets of Monte Carlo, surrounded by superyachts, Mediterranean views, and the unmistakable glamour of Monaco. From incredible race viewing to carefully selected accommodations, Grand Prix Tours brings you closer to the action at one of the most prestigious and spectacular events in all of motorsport.
SHOW PACKAGES
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the ultimate test of speed, strategy, and endurance. Watch the world's top manufacturers battle for 24 nonstop hours in one of motorsport's most prestigious events. With Grand Prix Tours handling your accommodations, transfers, and ticket options, all that's left is to experience this unforgettable bucket-list race.
SHOW PACKAGES
Feel the roar of Formula 1 at its spiritual home. Silverstone is one of the fastest and most demanding circuits in the world, where brave overtakes, lightning-fast direction changes, and flat-out commitment separate the best from the rest. Combined with the electric atmosphere created by hundreds of thousands of passionate fans, the British Grand Prix delivers a race weekend unlike any other.
SHOW PACKAGES