Overview
- Formula 1 and the FIA confirmed on March 14–15 that the April rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are off, leaving a five‑week gap between Japan on March 29 and Miami on May 3.
- The decision reduces the 2026 calendar from 24 to 22 races after organizers ruled out staging substitute events in April.
- Support series — Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy — also lose their scheduled rounds tied to the two Gulf weekends.
- Alternative venues such as Imola and Portimão were evaluated, but logistical and commercial hurdles, including a March 20 freight cutoff, made replacements unworkable.
- Local promoters in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia backed the call, with F1 and the FIA signaling a return when conditions allow, though a 2026 reschedule is considered unlikely.