Overview
- Formula 1 and the FIA confirmed the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds will not run in April, with FIA Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy events also canceled.
- The decision leaves a five‑week gap between Japan on March 29 and Miami on May 3, shrinking the 2026 calendar from 24 to 22 races with no April replacements.
- Officials cited safety and logistical concerns tied to Iranian missile and drone attacks, airspace disruptions and a March 20 freight deadline for shipping cars and equipment.
- Short‑notice alternatives such as Imola and Portimão were evaluated but rejected due to logistical and commercial constraints, with a return later in the year not explicitly ruled out by F1’s wording.
- F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasized community safety, and promoters in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia voiced support as peers like the WEC reshuffled Qatar and MotoGP reviews its Qatar date.