Formula One’s 2026 calendar has hit an unexpected setback as the Bahrain-Saudi Grand Prix has been called off due to escalating tensions in West Asia. Sport confirmed that both April races will not take place due to safety concerns.
The announcement came early on Sunday ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai and left a sudden hole in F1’s packed calendar. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali admitted the call was difficult but insisted it was inevitable.
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“Although it was a difficult decision, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage given the current situation in the Middle East,” Domenicali said.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasized that the governing body must prioritize the safety of everyone involved in the championship.
“The FIA will always put the safety and well-being of our community and colleagues first,” said Ben Sulayem. “After careful consideration, we have made this decision with this responsibility firmly in mind.”
Formula 1 also confirmed that although several alternatives had been explored, replacing the races in April was simply not possible.
“Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain-Saudi Grand Prix in April will not take place,” the statement said. “While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions would be made in April.”
WHY WERE GPS CANCELED IN BAHRAIN AND SAUDI ARABIA?
The cancellation comes as tensions in West Asia continue to escalate following retaliatory strikes from Iran after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iranian targets.
Both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have felt the ripple effects of the conflict, raising major security concerns for an event as large and logistically complex as Formula One.
Running a Grand Prix weekend involves transporting hundreds of tons of cargo, equipment and personnel across continents weeks in advance. Given the uncertainty surrounding travel and security in the region, F1 had little room to take risks.
The situation was further complicated by outages at major Middle Eastern airports, which had already affected travel for F1 personnel heading to the opening race in Melbourne.
WILL THE RACES BE POSTPONED?
In short – no.
Formula 1 has explored the possibility of moving races or finding alternative venues for April, with circuits such as Imola and Portimao briefly entering the conversation. But with the championship calendar already packed to bursting, changes proved almost impossible.
As a result, the two Middle East races will not be replaced this season.
This leaves the calendar with a rare five-week break between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3 – something teams rarely experience during an F1 campaign.
The cancellations also mean the 2026 championship will now feature 22 races, making it the shortest calendar since 2023.
Support championships including Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy will also lose their scheduled rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
HAS AN F1 RACE EVER BEEN CANCELED?
Although race cancellations are rare, they are not entirely new to Formula 1.
The most recent example came in 2023 when the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy had to be called off after widespread flooding devastated parts of the region.
In 2022, Formula 1 ended its contract for the Russian Grand Prix following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Interestingly, that same year, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix still went ahead despite Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacking an oil depot near the Jeddah circuit during practice, with thick smoke billowing from the track.
Bahrain had already hosted two F1 pre-season tests earlier this year before tensions escalated, although a planned wet-weather tire test was later canceled in the immediate aftermath of strikes on Iran.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
15 Mar 2026 08:16 IST
