A Major Warning for Middle East Events

Formula One’s likely loss of two April races in the Middle East is shaping up as more than a sports disruption. It is also an early warning for the region’s wider events economy, as trade shows, conferences, and corporate gatherings prepare for the post-Ramadan business rebound. The conflict is causing the most significant business disruption in the Middle East since the Covid-19 pandemic, with airports, ports, hotels, and major business gatherings all affected. 

Sky Sports reported today that the Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for April 10–12, and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, set for April 17–19, are in serious doubt because of the escalating conflict in the region, and that there are no plans to replace them if they are canceled.

Formula One depends on long-lead freight, charter flights, broadcast equipment, hospitality builds, staffing, and sponsor activations that begin weeks before cars hit the track. RacingNews365 reported that freight from China is needed for Bahrain and that Bahrain’s airport in Manama must also be declared safe for inbound travel, while regional airspace remains effectively closed. Both sources claim that alternative races such as Imola and Portimão have been discussed, but there would not be enough time to organize the events for April. 

The Wider Impact on Events in the Middle East

That same timing pressure is now playing out across business events. IAAPA Expo Middle East, scheduled for March 31–April 2 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, is under a cloud of uncertainty even though the show floor is sold out with more than 325 exhibitors. IAAPA President and CEO Jakob Wahl wrote on LinkedIn: “Given the scale of such an expo, this isn’t something you can just turn on and off like a light switch.” Exhibitors are looking for a decision because air freight deadlines are looming and international attendees are already backing away.

Earlier this week, Affiliate World Global postponed a 7,000-person event to 2027 after citing airport closures, travel disruption, and the large sums already committed to venues, production, booths, and staffing.

FIA, Formula One’s governing body, has already postponed another major competition. The Qatar 1812km, originally scheduled to open the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship on March 26–28, has been officially postponed until later in the year because of the “current and evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East.” 

Formula One itself has already been impacted by the conflict, with several team members that regularly travel through the Middle East to Australia being forced to take extremely long journeys to be at the season opener this weekend in Melbourne. Sky Sports quoted McLaren CEO Zak Brown saying there had been “very little communication” about the April races because of “the effort that it took just to get here to Australia.” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali described the complexity even more starkly: “We have 3000 people who have to move around the world. It’s a big beast.”

Assessing the Potential Impact

The financial stakes are significant. RacingNews365 reported that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia pay a combined hosting fee of at least $100 million, meaning a force majeure cancellation would leave a substantial revenue shortfall for Formula One. 

But the commercial fallout would spread much further than hosting fees. A canceled grand prix means lost hospitality programs, paused sponsorship activations, disrupted client entertainment, and uncertainty for local promoters, suppliers, and venue partners.

Postponement remains possible, but the calendar is packed so finding a workable slot would be difficult. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia sit between Japan in late March and Miami in early May. 

Looking further ahead, two more Middle East races could be at risk, although they are the two last races in the calendar — Qatar on November 27–29 and Abu Dhabi on December 4–6. 

Another race that could be directly impacted is Azerbaijan, scheduled for September 24–26.