Formula One has cancelled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix that were due to take place in April because of the conflict in the Middle East. The decision was announced by Formula One and the FIA, the sport’s governing body, after concerns about safety and travel in the region.
The Bahrain race had been planned for 12 April, with the Saudi Arabian race set for the following weekend. Organisers said the two races will not be replaced next month, so the 2026 season is now expected to have 22 races instead of 24.
The change happened because airports in the region have closed and fighting has made it harder to move people and equipment safely. Formula One teams must send huge amounts of freight to each race, and an important deadline for Bahrain was getting very close.
This means there will now be a gap in April after the Japanese Grand Prix. The next Formula One race after Japan is set to be the Miami Grand Prix on 3 May.
Other racing series have also been affected. Formula Two, Formula Three and F1 Academy will not hold their planned rounds at the two Middle Eastern events.
Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali said it was a difficult decision, but the right one because of the current situation. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem also said safety and wellbeing must come first.
Both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are important parts of the Formula One season, and organisers said they hope to return when conditions are safer. For now, the sport has chosen to pause rather than risk putting teams, drivers and workers in danger.
