The FIA has already postponed one Middle East race, raising questions over F1’s calendar.
Formula 1 (F1) has confirmed the 2026 season opener in Australia is scheduled to proceed as planned despite the conflict across the Middle East significantly impacting global travel.
On 28 February, the US and Israel began strikes against Iran in a bid to encourage regime change and address concerns regarding its nuclear programme. The conflict has since caused damage across Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq and Cyprus, with Israel launching subsequent attacks in Lebanon against the terrorist group Hezbollah.
Given the wide geographical impact, airspace closures across parts of the Middle East have led to widespread disruption. This has impacted teams travelling to Australia, where the F1 season opener is scheduled to take place on 8 March.
“As president of the FIA, my thoughts are with all those affected by the recent events in the Middle East,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “We are in close contact with our Member Clubs, championship promoters, teams, and colleagues on the ground as we monitor developments carefully and responsibly.
“Safety and well-being will guide our decisions as we assess the forthcoming events scheduled there for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the FIA Formula One World Championship.”
Early rule flexibility
The first example of flexibility by the FIA can be seen in the stewards’ documentation ahead of the opening race, with officials confirming standard restricted periods would be suspended due to circumstances tied to travel and freight disruption.
“Due to force majeure and specifically ongoing travel and freight disruptions experienced in the preparation of the Australian Grand Prix, the provisions of Article B9.5.1a (‘Restricted Period 1’) and Article B9.5.1b (‘Restricted Period 2’) shall not apply at this Competition,” stated the report.
Under normal circumstances, teams are not permitted to work on their cars overnight during a race weekend. These curfews are split into two blocks, typically covering the early-morning period before Friday and the overnight window before Saturday.
The primary aim of the rules is to limit working hours, control costs and prevent teams from gaining unfair advantages. Breaching the curfew would usually result in a penalty.
The stewards made the change following consultation after freight and personnel were delayed arriving for the Australian Grand Prix, meaning teams could not prepare their cars within the usual timetable.
Future F1 races at risk
While the current disruption appears manageable, F1 may face more significant challenges in the coming weeks. After races in China and Japan, the championship heads to Bahrain and then Saudi Arabia.
Both countries have been impacted by the situation involving Iran, with reports of drone activity affecting the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and the US naval base in Bahrain. There is currently no indication the races will be postponed or relocated, but they are likely to remain under close review.
It would not be the first time a Bahrain Grand Prix has been cancelled; the 2011 race was affected by civil unrest. Originally scheduled as the season opener, the race was first postponed and later scrapped entirely after teams raised safety concerns.
The FIA has already postponed the races due to the ongoing conflict, announcing earlier this week that the first race of the World Endurance Championship set to take place in Qatar would be postponed.
While safety will remain the top priority, as Sulayem stressed, the commercial implications of cancelling or rescheduling races would be significant. Middle Eastern events have become a critical pillar of F1’s global strategy and command some of the largest hosting fees on the calendar.
In its latest results, Liberty Media noted hosting one fewer Grand Prix in Q3 contributed to a decline in revenue.
