Formula 1 cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix
Formula 1 has officially scrapped both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix scheduled for April, citing the escalating Middle East conflict as the determining factor, reports BritPanorama.
The announcement, made ahead of the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix, confirms that the 2026 championship will now comprise just 22 races instead of the planned 24.
This decision follows weeks of uncertainty surrounding the race calendar, with organisers facing imminent logistical deadlines for the transport of personnel and equipment to the region.
Both events will not be rescheduled or replaced with alternative venues, marking a significant reduction to this year’s racing calendar. The cancellations stem from a deteriorating security situation across the Gulf, triggered by recent US-Israeli military action against Iran.
Retaliatory strikes have targeted multiple Gulf states since the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 28 February, with Bahrain among the nations affected by escalating violence.
Bahrain was scheduled to host its Grand Prix from 10-12 April, followed by the Saudi Arabian race the following weekend. Without a clear resolution to the ongoing hostilities, F1 faced severe constraints regarding the safety of its teams and assets, leaving no viable option but to withdraw from both locations.
The cancellation means the championship is set for an unprecedented five-week break between the Japanese Grand Prix on 29 March and the Miami Grand Prix starting on 1 May.
Efforts to explore potential replacement venues, including the Portuguese circuit at Portimão and Italy’s Imola, proved challenging due to logistical and commercial complexities, compounded by an already congested race schedule that offers no flexibility for rescheduling the affected races later in the year.
The impact of this decision reaches beyond the main events, as supporting championships including FIA Formula 2, Formula 3, and F1 Academy rounds, also scheduled for the Bahrain-Saudi Arabia double-header, have been cancelled.
F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, stating: “While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage considering the current situation in the Middle East.”
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem highlighted the importance of safety, affirming: “The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first.” He described both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as integral to the racing ecosystem and expressed hope for a return to both nations once circumstances allow.
This development serves as a sobering reminder of how global tensions can ripple into the world of sport, altering plans and reshaping the calendar in unprecedented ways.
