Formula 1’s reliance on Saudi Arabia uncertain as region adapts to new reality of USA-Israel-Iran war

This comes amid the Public Investment Fund (PIF) - a massive Saudi sovereign fund - moving to end or scale back its funding of LIV Golf. The shift comes as talks with the PGA Tour intensify, with a focus on creating a unified global structure.

While highly unlikely the Saudi's will ditch Formula 1, There are warning signs, the Qiddiya Speed Park project track was set to happen in 2026 initially but now targeting 2030. However, with war ravaging the region anything can happen. How will this impact the sport?

Writing on her highly informative Deadly Passion, Terrible Joys substack, Blackstock explained that Saudi Arabia’s presence in global sport is impossible to ignore. She believes Formula 1 shows exactly how that money is reshaping an entire championship.

“Everywhere you look these days, it seems like Saudi Arabia is there,” Blackstock wrote. “Sports, comedy, the auto industry, you name it.”

She set out to examine what both sides gain from the relationship. Her conclusion is direct. Formula 1 gains long term financial security. Saudi Arabia gains global reach and influence.

Saudi Arabia first joined the Formula 1 calendar in 2021. Aramco remains a global partner and a key sponsor within the sport. The kingdom also supports major projects linked to the championship’s future. And was the first Gulf country to become seriously as a sponsor of the Williams team in the 1970s.

Blackstock suggests this level of investment gives Saudi Arabia a unique position. Few countries can match the scale or consistency of state backed funding.

The writer placed Saudi Arabia at the centre of Formula 1’s commercial growth. She warned: "The sport’s recent success is not only down to media exposure or marketing strategy. But we can’t underestimate the ways that investment from Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia has contributed to that."

Formula 1 generated about $3.9 billion in revenue in 2025. Race promotion fees and sponsorship made up nearly half of that total. These are exactly the areas where Saudi backed deals play a major role.

Blackstock proposes that this creates a clear imbalance. Traditional venues offer history and prestige. Saudi Arabia offers money at a scale others cannot reach: “To put it in very simple terms, there are very few countries that can afford this kind of investment."

That financial gap is now shaping the Formula 1 calendar. It also influences long term decisions about where Grand Priux weekends are held and who holds power.

Blackstock then addressed the issue many avoid, the unpleasant truth when you follow the money: “Basically, ‘sportswashing’ refers to a country’s use of sport to redirect attention away from the unethical conduct of a country."

She stressed this is not unique to Saudi Arabia. Many nations have used sport to shape their image. But she argued the desert kingdom stands out because of the massive scale of its spending.

Sport plays a powerful role in this process. Fans often see it as an escape from politics. Blackstock wrote: “What makes sports such a great venue for this kind of investment? It has to do with what sport represents to a culture.”

Formula 1 offers global exposure, glamour and influence. That makes it an ideal platform for shaping how a country is viewed worldwide.

Blackstock acknowledged the benefits for everyday people. She stated that fans in Saudi Arabia deserve access to major sporting events and global culture. But she questioned who truly benefits in the long term.

Her focus remained on the broader political impact: “It’s not really the normal humans of Saudi Arabia who are benefitting, not in the long term. That’s the whole crux of the sportswashing problem.”

She argued the same system that invests in sport also seeks to shape global perception. That creates a difficult balance for Formula 1.

“It’s a complicated situation,” Blackstock reckoned. “On one hand, Formula 1 would not be as financially well off without Saudi investment. On the other hand, we need to reckon with what that means.”

That tension now sits at the heart of the sport. Formula 1 has grown stronger and richer. But it has also tied part of its future to Saudi Arabia’s money and influence.

Blackstock’s message is clear. This is no longer a side issue. It is central to how Formula 1 operates today, in a period of unprecedented uncertainty. Tomorrow is impossible to predict, let alone the long-term future in a region that is being reshaped in real time, socially, economically and politically.

At this point, no one knows what will be left standing. God willing it ends soon, so we can see what remains if and when the dust settles.

Motorsport and Formula 1 historian Elizabeth Blackstock has built her career on documenting the sport as it truly happened. An author, podcaster, journalist, and academic, she focuses on uncovering the full story of racing’s past, including the intrigue and controversy often left out of modern retellings. Her work challenges the polished narratives that tend to dominate the sport's history.