The cost of instability: F1, MotoGP scrub April events in the Gulf

Flagship motorsport events in the GCC are the latest casualties of war after organizers called off three Grand Prix competitions scheduled for April in Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi.

What’s happening? F1 has formally cancelled the 12 April (Bahrain) and 19 April (Jeddah) races, while MotoGP has pushed its Qatar opener to November.

Why it matters: The cancellations are another sign of the headwinds facing the region’s tourism industry, which is already looking at some USD 600 mn per day in foregone revenue. The events generate big tourism receipts from luxury travellers from all over the world. The UAE reportedly reeled in some AED 1.25 bn from weekend spending associated with F1 events.

The cancellations are a big hit for motorsport owners. Analysts are saying the lost races can cost Liberty Formula One somewhere between USD 190-200 mn in lost revenue. The combined hosting fees paid by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are estimated to exceed USD 100 mn alone.

Teams sharing in the revenues will also be hit: McLaren CEO Zak Brown acknowledged the lost races will “probably” dent team budgets, but said the financial impact is the “least of our concerns” given the geopolitical reality.

What’s next? The circuit now faces an unexpected extended break, leaving an empty 35-day gap in the calendar between the Japanese and Miami Grands Prix. An immediate logistical headache is retrieving team freight and equipment that have been stranded in Bahrain since pre-season testing concluded.

Let’s call the whole thing off

Other sports events are doing the same: The World Endurance Championship postponed its season opener in Qatar until October. Tennis organizers scrapped the ATP Challenger in Fujairah.

Finance events are also pulling the plug. JPMorgan rescheduled its MENA Global Opportunities conference (it’s not saying when it will run), it’s unclear whether next month’s EFG Hermes One on One will go ahead, and companies are moving their annual general meetings to Switzerland and other major centers from Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Crypto bros are also pulling back: The Token2049 ‌conference has been delayed to April 2027, it said in a statement. The gathering attracted c. 15k attendees last year, including the CEOs of Binance and stablecoin Tether.