Geopolitical tensions are reshaping the Formula One calendar. Conflict can disrupt the sport’s business, but it can also create opportunities. After the Bahrain race was cancelled on force majeure grounds, Malaysia stepped in at short notice to host a Grand Prix. “To see all this enthusiasm, with tickets selling out, in a country that hadn’t hosted a race for almost a decade, shows just how strong the interest in the region really is,” says Stefano Domenicali, Formula One’s chief executive. “And I’m convinced the Malaysians themselves are looking to get back to the negotiating table and secure another slot in the future.”
As the 2027 calendar takes shape, potential hosts are making their case. The organisers say the championship will remain at 24 Grands Prix a season. The line-up, however, is not fixed. Contracts expire, conflicts can make races impossible to stage, and venues that seem secure today may not be there tomorrow. With the Turkish Grand Prix returning next year, Europe will, for the first time in the championship’s history, no longer have the most races. Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea are all seeking a place on the calendar.
“There’s a great deal of passion in this part of the world,” Domenicali told the Financial Times. “Each prospective host will put forward its strengths, and we’ll decide on the basis of the most structured, long-term plan we’re offered.” Infrastructure, development plans, commercial backing and the size of the potential audience will all count. Hosting a Grand Prix requires substantial investment, with no guarantee of a return. Vietnam spent more than half a billion dollars building a circuit for the Hanoi race planned for 2020. The pandemic forced the race’s cancellation, and the circuit was later abandoned.
The contracts for China, Japan and Singapore are all due to expire within the next four years. As those contracts come up for renewal, other countries may have a chance to join the calendar. “The Far East is one of the most interesting markets for us, where the future of Formula One continues to take shape,” Domenicali says. After 2027, the calendar could change again as some races drop out and others return, giving Europe the most races once more. “The flexibility we have in moving around is incomparable. Every week, we move thousands of people and tonnes of equipment from one place to another, often at very short notice. That flexibility becomes even more important when so many parts of the world want to be part of our championship.”