SHANGHAI — Formula 1 has confirmed that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April, with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East forcing the sport’s hand in what CEO Stefano Domenicali called a deeply difficult but unavoidable decision.
The Bahrain GP, scheduled for April 12, and the Jeddah race the following weekend on April 19 have been wiped from the 2026 calendar entirely. Crucially, neither race will be replaced — leaving a gaping five-week hole in the calendar between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami GP on May 3.
The announcement came in the hours before Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Alternative venues including Imola and Portimao were explored, but logistical and commercial complications made substitutions impossible at such short notice. F2, F3, and F1 Academy rounds at both venues are also cancelled.
The wider context is sobering. Since US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, retaliatory attacks have spread across the Gulf region, with Bahrain’s capital Manama among cities targeted. Safety of drivers, team personnel, and fans was cited as the primary reason for the call.
The 2026 Formula 1 season will now run across 22 races. Both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia hold long-term contracts with the sport, and F1 has made clear it intends to return — when circumstances allow.
