F1 calendar: Bahrain return call due before break

Formula 1 is set to decide before the summer break on restoring a postponed Middle East round, while Bahrain remains hopeful of a return in October.

Formula 1 is expected to decide before the summer break whether one of its postponed Middle Eastern rounds can be restored to the 2026 calendar. Autosport reported that the series is still aiming to recover either the Bahrain or Saudi Arabia event after both were called off in March amid the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Bahrain is still pushing to stage its cancelled race later this year, according to RaceFans, which reported that the government remains hopeful of securing an October date before the season ends. RaceFans separately reported that longer-term calendar discussions also include a possible increase in sprint events in 2027, though that remains a separate issue from any decision on a 2026 replacement race.