Formula 1 and the FIA have cancelled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix scheduled for April, reducing the 2026 season to 22 races due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The decision affects rounds four and five, originally set for the weekends of April 10-12 in Sakhir and April 17-19 in Jeddah. Violence in the region, triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, prompted the move. Iran’s retaliatory actions have impacted several Gulf countries, including Bahrain, raising serious safety concerns for teams, drivers, fans and staff. F1 faced a tight logistical deadline but concluded the races could not proceed as planned.
No replacement events will fill the void, leaving a five-week break between the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, which concluded earlier this month, and the Miami Grand Prix in early May. Officials explored options like Imola and Portugal’s Portimao but dismissed them over commercial and preparation challenges. Support series Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy rounds are also scrapped for those dates.
F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali described the call as tough but necessary given the circumstances. He thanked the FIA and promoters for their understanding and expressed hope for a future return. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasized prioritizing safety and wellbeing, adding his thoughts for those affected. Bahrain International Circuit CEO Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa and Saudi Motorsport Company Chairman HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal voiced full support, looking forward to hosting races again when possible.
This marks the latest in a series of F1 cancellations, following the 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix due to flooding and multiple COVID-era postponements. The Middle East turmoil has already influenced other motorsport, with the FIA World Endurance Championship shifting its Qatar opener and MotoGP reviewing its Doha plans.
Team insiders note the extended hiatus could hit some squads harder than others. Red Bull, coming off a challenging Chinese Grand Prix, may struggle more than rivals like Aston Martin with the unplanned downtime in development and testing rhythms. The calendar squeeze leaves no room to reschedule the races later in the year, tightening an already packed 22-race slate. Constructors and drivers now focus on Miami preparations amid a season already marked by geopolitical disruptions.
🚨 BREAKING: The FIA will officially cancel the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia GPs this weekend.
— MV33Racing🏎 (@MV33Racing) March 13, 2026
This means that after the Japanese GP there will be a gap of more than four weeks on the F1 calendar without races.
The next race would then be the Miami GP (May 1-3)
Via @adamcooperF1 pic.twitter.com/g4Vz4zkNZQ
