In light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Formula 1 has announced that the upcoming Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix have been canceled.
The official press release reads: “After careful evaluations, due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April. While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April. The Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy rounds will also not take place during their scheduled times. The decision has been taken in full consultation with the FIA and respective promoters.”
The Bahrain GP was scheduled for April 10 to 12, while the Saudi Arabian GP for April 17 to 19. There will be no rescheduling of the races, nor will their be any replacements, so there will only be 22 races in total this season.
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“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,” said F1 president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali. “I want to take this opportunity to thank the FIA as well as our incredible promoters for their support and total understanding as they were looking forward to hosting us with their usual energy and passion. We cannot wait to be back with them as soon as the circumstances allow us to do so.”
“The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “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.
“Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are incredibly important to the ecosystem of our racing season, and I look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow,” Sulayem added. “My sincere thanks to the promoters, our partners, and our colleagues across the championship for the collaborative and constructive approach that has led to this decision.”
“We fully support the decision by Formula 1, and we are grateful to them and to the FIA for their support and enduring partnership,” said Bahrain International Circuit chief executive Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa. “We look forward to welcoming fans from all around the world back to Bahrain when F1 returns.”
“The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) respects the decision taken by Formula 1 regarding the 2026 race calendar,” said His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the SAMF and the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC). “Fans across the Kingdom were once again looking forward to the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah this April, but we understand the considerations behind this decision and remain in close partnership with Formula 1.”
