China has emerged as an alternative to open the 2027 Formula 1 season, should the situation in the Middle East prevent the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia from taking place again. The provisional calendar still depends on the evolution of the conflict in the region.
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F1’s preferred plan is to start 2027 with consecutive rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, before moving on to a triple header between Australia, Japan, and China. If conditions do not allow for the first two races to take place, the most advanced possibility is to start the championship in China and then hold the Japanese GP.
The need for an alternative plan gained momentum after the events in 2026. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds were canceled in the current season, with Malaysia being included in the calendar for early October, but with the race there being called the Bahrain GP. The conflict situation also keeps the fate of the final races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi open.
In turn, Australia does not appear as an immediate solution to bring forward the start of the next championship. Works on the new pit building at Albert Park prevent the race from being significantly moved earlier than its provisional April slot.
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If China takes over the opening of 2027, Melbourne would be held after the Asian leg. The Australian GP could form a triple header with China and Japan or appear as a standalone round, while F1 would later assess whether it would still be possible to hold Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April.
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, stated that the intention is to maintain a full calendar with 24 races in 2027, regardless of what happens in the Middle East. The category, however, has not yet released the provisional calendar for next season, and some sources indicate that a decision may take longer than expected, despite speculation about a decision close to the Italian GP in Monza.
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