Formula One is expanding its reach like never before. Just two decades ago the sport competed in 14 different countries around the world, but now the 2026 season will visit 21 countries in 12 different time zones.
Two of the venues, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are within reach of fairly dumb missiles being launched form Iran across the Middle East and this has resulted with the cancelation of these two nations Grand Prix during the month of April. A TJ13 source now reports Shaheed drones have targeted the new F1 venue in Qiddiyah city.
Further, there are plans for a race in Africa and another in the far east, potentially Vietnam, together with the all new Saudi “speed park” in Qiddiya where construction is well under way.
F1 mega project like no other before it
The Saudi Arabian project is like none ever seen before and whilst its conception was formed as an entertainment and tourist venue, the Formula One track is at the heart of its very design. It will feature a signature corner named “the blade” which will soar some 70 metres into the sky – the height of a 20 storey building – and currently the desert is alive with the sounds of construction as hotels, theme parks and entertainment centres are rising from the sand toute suite.
Qiddiya is part of the Saudi “2030 vision” which was launched back in 2016. Its purpose is to diversify the Middle Eastern country’s economy away from its dependence on oil which forms 43% of Saudi GDP and 70% of its revenue.
Of all the middle eastern countries, Saudi Arabia along with Iran and Iraq (for obvious reasons) are amongst the least favoured destinations for international tourists. Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Oman and Qatar have turned around the perception of their middle age cultures with mega hotels and tourist projects over the past three decades.
Saudi is playing catch up, but its investment in hosting global sporting events has been part of a changing attitude amongst travellers. Key annual sporting events held in the Kingdom now include the Dakar rally, LIV Golf, ATP tour tennis events, Esports global tournaments, Formula One and the latest coup detente was to land the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
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Saudi human rights questioned as thousands die
All this has not been without criticism with those accusing Saudi Arabia of attempting to ‘sportswash’ its international image and rating concerns over the country’s human rights record, including the treatment of women and those in the LGBT community.
Vision 2030 has also come at a great cost, as did the mega projects in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar before them. The Saudi monster construction projects recruit low skilled workers from across the Arabian Sea from the Indian sub-continent. The wages paid are a pittance and the working and living conditions extremely poor by western standards.
In 2024, UK Export Finance classified the Qiddiya project as Catagory A under its social and environmental risk framework, citing significant adverse environmental and social impact from the construction. Over half a million people have been forcibly displaced as part of Vision 2030, with 60 low cost residential districts demolished in Jeddah alone.
The same year an ITV documentary claimed over 21,000 migrant workers from India, Bangladesh and Nepal have died whilst working in Vision 2030 projects. It highlighted severe working conditions in the searing heat of the desert, 84 hour weeks, passports confiscated and a number being killed falling from heights on unsafe construction sites.
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Women’s rights continue to improve
Yet the march to modernity continues at pace. The largest theme park group in the world opened Six Flags Qiddiya City on 31st December 2025, marking the first public opening of the “sports city” which should be complete by 2028. There is talk of Formula One racing at the Qiddiya circuit in just two years time, although the Jeddah hosts have a contract until 2030.
Yet Saudi’s attempt to join the modern world has had its benefits for women who in 2017 were allowed for the first tine into sports stadiums. The following year the ban on =women driving was lifted and in 2019 there were major reforms to guardianship laws allowing women over 21 to obtain passports without permission being required.
Further legal progress was made in 2019 with women now allowed to travel abroad, and register births, marriages, and divorces without a male guardian’s permission. In 2022, woman were given the legal right to live alone and gender segregation in restaurants was outlawed.
Gender discrimination in the world place is further now prohibited and the 2022 Personal Status Law granted women incremental rights in terms of marriage, divorce and could custody. All this sounds promising and creates the impression of a society where freedoms are no longer restricted and of a country looking outward.
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Iranian bombs rain down on F1’s new playground
Yet Saudi has a problem with its new Qiddiya location for Formula One. Unlike Jeddah which is over 2500 km from Iran, “speed city” is a mere 50 kilometres from Riyadh which itself is just 800km from Iran. With control over the state media in Saudi, the number of strikes from Iranian dumb drone bombs has been vastly under reported.
TJ13 has a source who is a senior engineer working on the Qiddiya project and claims a number of Shaheed drones have impacted in the vicinity of the construction. With no sign of the Iranian’s backing down and Donald Trump threatening to walk away, the volatility in the region could last for years.
Just as tourists has taken a massive hit in the likes of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar, Saudi Arabia will be hit by a lack of confidence from international guests for some time to come. When F1 will be able to return to the middle east is anyone’s guess and with no end of the war in sight, even the 2026 Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are not secure from cancellation.
The two cancelled Grand Prix represent around 10% of FOM’s hosting income given the vast sums of money the Arab countries pay to advertise themselves to the world. Should Qatar and Abu Dhabi fall from the 2026 calendar, maybe its time for Liberty Media to consider the future of the sport in the region and become less dependent on the oil money.
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
You sound like an imperialist & a Zionist. Iran has the right to defend itself & the selfsame Iran warned Arab countries that it will attack US military bases in the Gulf region, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain & Qatar. Western hegemony is over, get a grip