F1 revenue drops as a 23-race season is now expected.

      Six circuits set new attendance records.

      Formula 1 has faced a substantial decline in revenues due to the disrupted 2026 calendar, despite the sport claiming that its controversial new phase is drawing more fans and that discussions regarding a long-anticipated race in Africa are accelerating. Liberty Media disclosed that F1 earned $764 million in the second quarter, a decrease of 38 percent from $1.226 billion during the same period last year, with operating income plummeting from $293 million to $73 million. The primary reason for this decline is the disrupted calendar amidst the Middle East conflict involving Iran. Liberty’s financial reports indicate that F1 is currently planning for only 23 grands prix instead of the originally intended 24. The canceled Bahrain GP has been compensated by an unusual event in October at Sepang, but Liberty states that the 2026 calendar is now "assumed to hold 23 races," which means the cancelled Saudi Arabian GP is not likely to be replaced at this time. "Additional calendar changes may be necessary," Liberty added as a caution.

      Financially, the disruptions present a stark contrast to F1’s own recent evaluation of the new regulatory era's performance. Formula 1 claims that all 11 grands prix included in its half-year review were sold out, attracting 3.7 million spectators compared to 3.4 million at the same races last year, with six circuits setting new attendance records. Notably, despite the criticism surrounding the drastically different 2026 cars and the 'Mario Kart'-style racing, F1’s 60,000-member Fan Voice panel rated 66 percent of the racing as 'Good or Excellent,' up from 60 percent last season. The sport further asserts a global fan base exceeding 830 million, which marks a 64 percent increase since 2018, with 43 percent of fans under 35 and women representing three-quarters of new followers.

      This growth is intensifying the push to address the most apparent geographic gap in the calendar—Africa. South African sports minister Gayton McKenzie expressed to City AM that F1 cannot truly claim to be global while an entire continent is not represented. "When you look at the African continent and then compare it to Europe—with three Formula 1 races in close proximity between Monza, Imola, and Monaco—there are none in the entire African continent," he noted. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has suggested that this situation could soon change. "Negotiations are progressing very well in Africa," he stated. South Africa and Rwanda are the primary candidates, while Domenicali mentioned that F1 is also receiving renewed interest from Argentina, Thailand, and even Germany. "We are in open discussions in South America, where there is strong enthusiasm about returning to Argentina, which has not hosted a race since 1998, and in the Far East," the Italian remarked.