F1 races in Bahrain & Saudi Arabia cancelled
Formula 1’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix will no longer take place in 2026, after a decision was made to cancel them due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Both races had been scheduled to take place in April, although speculation regarding their cancellation continued to gather pace throughout the week.
The decision was taken after consultation with the FIA and promoters, with President and CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali, saying: “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.”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, added: “The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind. We continue to hope for calm, safety and a swift return to stability in the region, and my thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events.”
Despite several alternative replacement race options in Portugal, Italy, Turkey and Japan all being considered, it was ultimately decided against. There will now be a five week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, with the F1 season now reduced to 22 races.
The cancellation of both events will also result in a reported loss of over £100 million for the sport, which is usually split between the 11 teams on the grid and F1 itself. Races in Formula 2, Formula 3, and F1 Academy have also been scrapped.
The ongoing war had already impacted logistics for last week’s Australian Grand Prix, with teams and media forced to seek alternate routes down under. Airports in Middle Eastern cities like Dubai and Doha, which act as transit hubs on long haul flights, were mostly closed during the build up to the race in Melbourne.
The F1 season continues this Sunday with the Chinese Grand Prix. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli sits on pole, after teammate George Russell secured victory in Saturday’s Sprint Race.
words: Mike Booth
pictures: Red Bull Content Pool