The 2026 season was exceptional in the Gulf motorsport calendar: two major events cancelled, three keeping their dates, and one regional championship suspended.
The season opened strongly with the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia from 3 to 17 January, fourteen stages from Yanbu to Yanbu by way of AlUla, Hail and Riyadh.
Motorsport calendar in the Gulf — 2026
| # | Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dakar Rally — Saudi Arabia | 3–17 January | Held — 14 stages, Yanbu to Yanbu |
| 2 | Bahrain Grand Prix | 12 April | Cancelled, moved to Sepang in Malaysia |
| 3 | Saudi Arabian Grand Prix — Jeddah | 19 April | Cancelled with no replacement round |
| 4 | Qatar Grand Prix — Doha | 2–4 October | On the calendar |
| 5 | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — Yas Marina | 4–6 December | Season finale |
| 6 | Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East | 2026/27 season | Suspended |
The Formula 1 calendar contracted from 24 races to 22 after the Bahrain and Saudi rounds were dropped. Abu Dhabi remains the finale, and Qatar keeps its October date. — Source ↗
Then came the double cancellation: the Bahrain Grand Prix of 12 April moved to Sepang in Malaysia, and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix of 19 April cancelled with no replacement, shrinking the Formula 1 calendar from 24 races to 22.
The Gulf lost three of six events in a single season — an unusual proportion for a region that built a crowded winter calendar.
The Qatar Grand Prix remained on 2 to 4 October, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 4 to 6 December as the season finale. The 2026/27 Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East season was also suspended.
The upshot is that the Gulf lost three of six events in a single season, an unusual proportion for a region that has spent the past two decades building a crowded winter motorsport calendar.
