F1 Middle East season finale in doubt as Saudi rally race cancelled amid Iran war

21 Sep 2026 • 6:57 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

F1 Middle East season finale in doubt as Saudi rally race cancelled amid Iran war

  • The FIA has cancelled Rally Saudi Arabia, which was scheduled to serve as the final round of the World Rally Championship in Jeddah this November, citing ongoing regional conflict.
  • Formula 1 is currently maintaining its plans to conclude the 2026 season with the Qatar Grand Prix on 29 November and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 6 December, though a final decision is expected by the end of September.
  • Imola in Italy has been identified as a contingency venue to host the season finale on the Abu Dhabi weekend should ongoing Middle Eastern instability force the cancellation of the planned races.
  • FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem acknowledged that cancelling the WRC event in Saudi Arabia was a difficult decision, but emphasised that confidence remains in the organisers and the long-term future of the rally.
  • The conflict in the region has disrupted several other motorsport events, including moving a 24-hour endurance race from Dubai to South Africa and rescheduling earlier cancelled F1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

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