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Middle East war shakes F1 calendar: two races, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, near cancellation
2026-03-14 11:58:05 / SPORT
The Formula 1 season is expected to undergo a major change in the calendar, as two important races, the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, are very close to being canceled due to high tensions in the Middle East and the conflict related to Iran. According to international media such as Marca, Daily Mail and Sky Sports Germany, the decision has already been made in principle and only formalization is expected.
An official announcement could come during the weekend of the Shanghai Grand Prix. The Bahrain race was scheduled to take place on April 12, with the Jeddah race a week later.
Both events are considered among the most profitable of the season, with revenues reaching around 45 million euros for Bahrain and around 70 million euros for Saudi Arabia. However, according to reports, the absolute priority has been the safety of the drivers, teams and staff. The German newspaper 'Bild' emphasizes that economic factors have also influenced the decision: if the race is canceled by the local organizer, the costs remain on it, while if the cancellation is made by Formula 1, the organizer's fee is waived.
Behind the scenes, Saudi organizers have been making great efforts to hold the race in Jeddah. They have even reportedly provided charter flights for teams and personnel. However, without the race taking place in Bahrain, transporting the equipment to Saudi Arabia in record time was considered almost impossible.
If the cancellations are confirmed, the season calendar will be reduced from 24 to 22 races, creating a break of around four weeks between the Japanese Grand Prix and the Miami Grand Prix. The possibility of a postponement or the addition of another race, such as at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, remains theoretically open.
Meanwhile, two other races in the region remain on the schedule: the Qatar Grand Prix on November 29 and the traditional season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 6.
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