Formula 1 and the FIA have announced that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, originally scheduled for April, will not take place due to safety concerns arising from the ongoing war involving Iran.
Both nations have been targeted in Iran’s retaliation following a series of strikes by the United States and Israel.
The announcement came early Sunday in Shanghai, ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.
“Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April,” F1 said. “While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April.”
The Bahrain race was scheduled for April 12, with the Saudi Arabian event in Jeddah set for April 19.
“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 Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of F1.
The FIA clarified that the two races “will not take place in April” and that no replacements are planned.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasized the priority of safety, “The FIA will always place the safety and well being of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind.”
Although neither F1 nor the FIA explicitly used the terms “cancel” or “postpone,” the announcement made clear there would be no races in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia next month.
Ben Sulayem added, “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.”
Promoters in both countries supported the decision. With a tight F1 calendar, there are no clear open dates to reschedule the races this year.
As a result, there will be a five-week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3. Without rescheduling, the 22-race calendar will be the shortest since 2023.
The early decision was necessary because F1 typically sends staff and cargo to tracks weeks in advance, and selling tickets at short notice would make organizing a replacement race nearly impossible.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, who secured pole position for Sunday’s race in Shanghai, expressed his concern, “My thoughts are with the ones that are suffering from this situation,” he said. “Safety needed to be the priority. I’m sure they will do the right thing.”
Teams have shown readiness to follow the guidance of F1 and the FIA. Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley said Friday: “I think we follow the guidance of the FIA and Formula 1, as we always do. They’ve always led us in the right direction. Nobody’s going to compromise on anything that would put teams into an uncomfortable situation.”
Earlier this season, Bahrain hosted two preseason tests before the attacks on Iran. A smaller wet-weather tire test was canceled immediately after the strikes. Travel disruptions in the Middle East also affected team staff traveling to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix.
The last F1 race cancellation occurred in 2023, when the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was called off due to deadly floods.
In contrast, F1 continued with its 2022 Saudi Arabian race despite attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on a nearby oil depot.
That same year, the Russian Grand Prix was canceled after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
