If those F1 races were cancelled, the championship would have lost four of its 24 events this year. As things stand, the sport is pressing ahead with plans to go after security reassurances from various governmental sources that it should be safe. It is not just football and Formula 1. Many more events remain under threat.
Formula 1 faces a dilemma over racing in the Middle East at the end of this season and the start of the next, as conflict in the region has already forced football and other sports to cancel, reschedule or move high-profile events.
Organisers have given mixed public explanations, with some citing fixture balance rather than security while others have pointed to unrest in the region.
Further cancellations or moves would add to a growing list of disrupted fixtures across codes as the conflict continues.
A football league once again did not attribute calendar changes to conflict in the region. It said the calendar would be recalibrated after the cancellation of the Asian Cup to achieve a more balanced distribution of fixtures. One person said there was a little bit of conflict and things going on over in Saudi and they basically decided just to stay where they were.
Another said they felt they needed to act for the kids so there was some form of normality until people could get back out there and all be together.