- Robert Doornbos claims Saudi Arabian Grand Prix may return later this year.
- Formula 1 considers rescheduling the Saudi race to create a December finale.
- The FIA monitors Middle East stability for a potential year-end triple header.
According to Robert Doornbos, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is looking forward to making a return to the calendar later this year after it was cancelled due to the heightened tensions in the region, due to the Israel-US-Iran war. It was reported that F1 doesn’t intend to replace the two cancelled races, but has decided to shrink its calendar to 22 rounds.
Before the official decision hit the media, there were a lot of speculations that the two races could be potentially conducted elsewhere, with circuits like Imola, Portimao, and Paul Ricard popping up among suggestions. There were also rumours about considering a double header at the Japan GP, which was the last race before the break.
In the statement, the FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, clearly stated that the two cancelled races are “important to the ecosystem” and they look forward to returning to the circuit once things cool down. So, if the war reaches a conclusion in the coming months and things become stable in the region, then fans can expect three back-to-back races in the Middle East towards the end of the season.
Saudi Arabian GP might be conducted later this year – but no certainty
Former Red Bull driver Doornbos claimed that there’s a possibility of the Saudi Arabian GP returning to the F1 calendar later this year. He said, “They are heavily promoting the Jeddah event, it’s their pride and joy. Jeddah must make its comeback on the calendar this year.”
Shedding light on when it’s possible, he revealed that it could happen between Qatar and Abu Dhabi, delaying the season finale to a later date. “They propose pushing Abu Dhabi back and slotting in Jeddah. This change would cap off the season with four consecutive races – Las Vegas, Qatar, Jeddah, and Abu Dhabi. While the timing works for the latter three, Las Vegas is a bit of a stretch. Essentially, we’d be adding an extra race.”
He added that the schedule could be modified towards the end flexibly, especially with Abu Dhabi, who have a long-standing contract of hosting the final races.
Tweaking of the F1 Calendar and how it could work out
Firstly, let’s see the dates for the last three races of the season below:
- Las Vegas- November 19-21
- Qatar – November 27-29
- Abu Dhabi- December 4-6
As is evident, the final races are a triple header, and if one more race is added to the roster, then it could become a bit tedious for the drivers, as there would be no break in between to relax and prepare for the season finale.
So, the best option likely would be to push Abu Dhabi to December 18-20, which could give a one-week space and place the Saudi Arabian GP, if it happens, to the earlier planned date for the finale. This will also wind up the season less than a week before the Christmas celebration.
If at all, the organisers don’t want to create chaos towards the season end with an additional race, they could also try to fit it a bit earlier after the mid-season break. This could obviously only happen when things get better and more stable in the region.
