F1 and governing body the FIA have officially announced the series will not travel to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April due to the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The two Middle Eastern races will not be replaced, meaning there is a five-week gap in the calendar between the end-of-March Japan round and the Miami Grand Prix in the first week of May.
Since the US killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 28 February, violence has spread to the entire Gulf region, with Bahrain among several countries targeted by Iran’s retaliatory strikes.
F1 was facing a logistical deadline early next week over the fate of its fourth and fifth rounds of the season, with the Bahrain Grand Prix due to be held on 12 April and the Jeddah race the following weekend. But given there is no timeline on any sort of end to the fighting, F1 has had no other choice but to call off those two races.
While alternative venues for April were explored, including Imola and Portimao, the logistical and commercial headaches involved meant Bahrain and Saudi Arabia now won’t be replaced. The planned FIA F2, F3 and F1 Academy rounds will also not be taking place.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem with Saudi dignitaties.
Photo by: Lars Baron – Motorsport Images
“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. 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 also spoke on the situation.
“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. 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.”
The FIA World Endurance Championship had already rescheduled its Qatar round, which was set to be the 2026 season opener on 28 March, and moved it to 24 October. MotoGP, which was also due to race in Doha on the same weekend as F1’s Bahrain Grand Prix, is also working on rescheduling the race.
Given F1’s jam-packed calendar, there was no option to slot in either the Bahrain or Saudi races towards the end of the 2026 season.
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– The Autosport.com Team
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