Formula 1 is expected to cancel the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix as the escalating conflict in the Middle East continues to destabilise the region, with the decision likely to reduce the 2026 calendar to 22 races.
The two races, scheduled to take place in April, were due to form the fourth and fifth rounds of the championship. The Bahrain Grand Prix had been planned for 10–12 April before the sport was set to travel to Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on 17–19 April.
However, both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are among several Gulf states that have been targeted by Iranian strikes in retaliation for US and Israeli military operations in the region. The deteriorating security situation has raised serious concerns across international sporting bodies, airlines and logistics operators, with Formula 1 now expected to formally call off both events.
Sources indicate that the announcement could be made before the end of the weekend as the sport assesses the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.
Safety remains the overriding priority for both Formula 1 and motorsport’s governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). With tensions escalating across the Gulf and no clear signs of de-escalation, the championship’s organisers are understood to have concluded that staging races in the region in April would present unacceptable risks.
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