F1 Cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Amid Middle East Conflict
Formula 1 is set to officially cancel the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix scheduled for next month, The Independent has learned, as escalating tensions and conflict in the Middle East region make the events untenable. Rounds four and five of the 2026 season, which were slated for 12 April in Sakhir, Bahrain, and 19 April in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, will now not take place.
Safety Concerns and Logistical Challenges Force Cancellation
A source close to the situation has revealed that F1 will confirm the cancellation of both grand prix events within the next 48 hours. This decision comes after Iranian missiles attacked locations across the Middle East, including the Bahraini capital of Manama as recently as Monday, following a drone assault that resulted in 32 injuries. Saudi Arabian sites have also been targeted since the outbreak of war two weeks ago.
Replacing the races with European circuits was considered, but the logistical challenges of such a last-minute alteration proved too great. Consequently, F1 has opted to simply remove the events from this year's calendar, which will now consist of 22 races. It is highly improbable that the races will be rescheduled later in the year.
Financial and Sporting Impact of the Cancellations
The cancellation is estimated to cost F1 at least £54 million in hosting fees. Saudi Arabia pays the joint-highest fee of any race, alongside Qatar, at approximately £30 million ($55 million), while Bahrain contributes an estimated £24 million ($45 million). Beyond the financial blow, both nations have deep ties to the sport: Bahrain owns the McLaren team, and Saudi Arabia is a prominent sponsor and investor through state-owned oil company Aramco.
With no race in April, the calendar will now feature a five-week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on 29 March and the Miami Grand Prix on 3 May. The cancellation has looked inevitable since the US-Iran war began on 28 February, with retaliatory Iranian airstrikes hitting major hotels in Manama that often accommodate F1 personnel.
Logistical Hurdles and Regional Instability
Major international travel hubs in the region, such as Doha and Dubai, remain impacted, though some have partially reopened. F1 has already navigated obstacles from airport closures in the Middle East by using chartered planes via Singapore and Tanzania to transfer personnel to the season-opener in Melbourne. However, with freight due to be moved to the Middle East after this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, the decision to cancel was deemed necessary for safety.
Reactions from F1 Figures
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, speaking in Shanghai on Thursday, expressed confidence in F1's leadership. "I know that Stefano Domenicali will do what is right for all of us and the sport. That is the great thing with having a great leader like him," Hamilton said.
Various F1 team bosses have emphasised that safety is paramount, trusting the executive team to make the appropriate call. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff commented in Australia: "Formula 1 in a way becomes the second priority. It's such an important topic in the region that it's even quite difficult to talk to the local leaders and say: 'What about the grand prix?' I think this is up to Stefano as a promoter and the FIA to manage that situation while respecting the current challenges."
Broader Impact on Motorsport
Other motorsport series have already been affected by the regional conflict. The World Endurance Championship event in Doha, originally set for 26-28 March, has been postponed and rescheduled for October. MotoGP's Qatar round on 12 April is facing significant difficulties and is unlikely to be rescheduled. Formula Two, F1's key support series, has its freight still in Melbourne after the season-opener; if the Bahrain and Saudi F2 rounds are cancelled without replacement, the championship's second race would not occur until Monaco in June.
