Formula 1 has confirmed that the upcoming Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix and the 2026 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will not take place as planned in April. Formula 1 confirmed the news in a statement ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix. It was also confirmed that no substitutions will be made for the called off races.
Hostilities in the Gulf region began at the end of February, following joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran. F1 bosses have been monitoring the situation closely, with Iran having launched missile strikes on nations in the region – including both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. A Pirelli tyre test at Bahrain International circuit earlier in March was cancelled as a result of the conflict.
With no de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East on the horizon, F1 had to make the decision on whether or not the races were to be cancelled ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix due to logistical issues. Freight from Suzuka which was previously routed for Bahrain will now be sent straight to Florida for the Miami Grand Prix at the start of May.
Speaking about the decision for the two races to not take place, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said:
“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.”
Cancelled GPs Will Not Be Replaced
The two races will not be replaced on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar. Last year, Domenicali said that Imola was the “first reserve” should any race be unable to take place. However, with little time to make arrangements for a new race to be added to the calendar and a very limited window in which to sell tickets, replacing the cancelled races was not deemed possible. In its statement, Formula 1 said that “several alternatives were considered”.
Although there is no official news on whether or not the races will be rescheduled later in the year, it seems unviable due to the compact nature of the second half of the season. F1 returns to the Gulf region in late November for the final double header of races of the year in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, but they are the last of six race weekends in a seven week period.
With Bahrain and Saudi Arabia removed from the schedule, there are now four weekends without racing between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3. The schedule is cut from 24 rounds to 22 – the fewest number of Grands Prix since 2023.
The cancellation also has a direct impact on the Formula 2 calendar, which has its schedule reduced from 14 rounds to only 12. It is believed that the feeder series, along with Formula 3 which was set to race in Bahrain, is exploring options to host standalone events in Europe during what is now a three month gap between the opening round in Australia and the next scheduled event in Monaco at the start of June. A statement read that “more information regarding the 2026 F2 Calendar will be available in due course”.
Questions Over Refunds and Race Contracts
With no official confirmation that the races are fully cancelled for 2026, it is yet to be confirmed whether ticket holders for the 2026 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will receive refunds or whether their tickets will roll over to 2027.
Both events hold contracts to remain on the F1 calendar into the 2030s, with Saudi Arabia’s contract set to expire in 2030 and Bahrain’s contract lasting until 2036. It is not yet known – if the races are cancelled entirely in 2026 – if another year will be added to the contracts as a result of the cancelled races due to force majeure, as happened with other events during the coronavirus pandemic.
