Multiple sources are reporting the sport is preparing to formally call off the two April races, a move that would reduce the 2026 Formula 1 calendar from 24 rounds to 22.
The Formula 1 calendar that syncs with personal devices has already listed both races as “called off”, all but confirming the events will not go ahead of an official confirmation expected by F1 in the next 48 hours.
The Bahrain Grand Prix had been scheduled for April 12 before the championship was due to travel to Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on April 19.
However, ongoing hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States have raised significant safety concerns across the region, with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia among the areas struck during recent attacks.
Safety considerations are understood to be central to the decision, with Formula 1 and the FIA prioritising the wellbeing of teams, personnel and fans amid the escalating situation.
“First of all, our approach first of all is safety for all of the relevant stakeholders, people and the promoter itself,” Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali said in Australia last weekend.
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The looming logistical deadline for freight shipments has also forced the sport’s hand, with teams needing to begin sending equipment to the Middle East imminently.
Some freight is already reportedly stuck in Bahrain after pre-season testing, adding further complications.
Once the cancellations are confirmed, it is considered unlikely that replacement events will be organised on short notice.
Circuits such as Imola and Portimao have been mentioned as potential stand-ins, but the tight timeframe and logistical challenges make staging races in April extremely difficult.
That would leave a five-week gap in the schedule between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, effectively pausing the championship for the entire month of April.
Teams are also wary of the possibility of late-season disruptions if races were postponed instead of cancelled, with F1 keen to avoid a scenario where a championship outcome could be affected by events being removed from the calendar later in the year.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton backed the sport’s leadership to handle the situation appropriately.
“I know that [F1 CEO] Stefano [Domenicali] will do what is right for all of us and the sport,” Hamilton said in Shanghai.
“That is the great thing with having a great leader like him.”
For now, the championship continues in China this weekend, where George Russell continued his strong start to the season by winning the Sprint ahead of qualifying for the grand prix at 6pm AEDT.
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