Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali expects the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to proceed “as scheduled” this year, as F1 monitors the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
This follows the rescheduling of the Qatar Airways Bahrain Grand Prix to October in Malaysia, and the cancellation of the STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
It comes after F1’s owners, Liberty Media, reported that revenues are down £343 million, while operating income was down 75% to £54 million compared to Q2 in 2025.
Although disruptions in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia play a role, this is primarily due to fewer races being held, with five through the second quarter of 2026 compared to nine through the second quarter of 2025.
Speaking on a Liberty Media earnings call today, Domenicali highlighted F1’s ability to come up with a replacement venue at short notice, despite the calendar disruptions impacting overall income.
“We are closely monitoring developments in the Middle East region,” said Domenicali.
“Originally we hoped to bring one race back to the region, but unfortunately we were unable to do so as planned. Instead, we recently announced that the Bahrain Grand Prix will be rescheduled and held in Malaysia.
“Looking ahead, we continue to expect that the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix are to currently proceed as scheduled for a 23-race calendar this season. We expect to return to a full 24-race calendar next season.”
Domenicali also said F1 will increase the number of Sprint races in 2027, which has remained at six per year since 2023.
“Are we gonna have more Sprint races next year? Yes, and we’ll inform you how many there will be when we announce the [2027] calendar.
“The principle is very simple; it’s an opportunity to increment the revenue stream.”
Liberty Media says its lower revenues were partially offset by underlying contractual fee increases and revenue from new and renewed sponsors, including tyre supplier Pirelli, official private aviation supplier Flexjet, and TV rights deals across Europe and the US.
“Our partnership with Apple continues yielding positive engagement, with viewership up year-over-year, season-to-date and total hours watched up 13%,” said Domenicali.
“We continue to see momentum across our business, including signing a landmark 10-year extension in Las Vegas and working with well-respected partners such as ServusTV and Pirelli.”
Domenicali also highlighted the success of sponsorship activations at races, including the LEGO drivers’ parade at the Qatar Airways British Grand Prix, which reached more than 70 million views across multiple platforms.
“This created another culturally relevant moment that captured the attention far beyond the live race itself,” said Domenicali.
Revenue from hospitality and freight was lower due to four fewer events, which was partially offset by higher hospitality revenue at recurring events, growth in licensing revenue, and growth in activities at the Grand Prix Plaza in Las Vegas.
F1 income was also impacted by lower revenues from the support category, Formula 3, due to the sale of new cars at the start of the prior year’s F3 vehicle cycle.
