Motor racing’s elite Formula 1 (F1) series has confirmed that its season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will indeed take place on its originally planned date of December 6, in its originally planned location of the Yas Marina Circuit, despite rumors that the conflict in the Middle East could have forced relocation.
Two races, the April Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, were both postponed as a result of the hostilities, while questions lingered over the status of both November 29's Qatar Grand Prix, and the Abu Dhabi finale.
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In July, F1 announced that Malaysia will step in to replace Bahrain on the 2026 calendar, now taking place on the weekend of October 2 to 4, and at the time, the racing series’ president Stefano Domenicali said that that the circuit may abandon its season-ending races in the Middle East, with locations in Europe tapped as potential last minute replacements.
Now, though, F1 has committed to at least the Abu Dhabi race, with Domenicali commenting: “The calendar is confirmed. There are still a few tickets to be sold in Abu Dhabi… and we stay focused on delivering the calendar we promised at the beginning of the year.
“The preparations are on course, there are still a few tickets in Abu Dhabi to be taken, and everything is progressing very, very well.”
Saif Rashid Al Noaimi, who is the chief executive of the event’s promoter Ethara, added: “our focus is firmly on delivering another outstanding season finale this December.
“Preparations are progressing across every aspect of the event, and we look forward to welcoming the Formula 1 community back to Abu Dhabi.”
The relocation of races across the calendar is already having an effect on F1 parent company Liberty Media, which saw its revenues drop significantly year-on-year during the second quarter of 2026, with a 38% dip in F1 income the primary factor.
F1's substantial revenue decrease during the three months up to June 30 this year was mostly due to four fewer races being held in that period than were hosted in the equivalent period last year (five, as opposed to nine) – primarily a consequence of the regional conflict in the Middle East.
F1's Q2 income, therefore, only came to $764 million, as opposed to $1.22 billion the prior year, while its profits amounted to just $73 million, down from $293 million for Q2 in 2025.
