&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Formula 1 cancel Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix amid West Asia conflict")
Formula 1’s 2026 season has faced an unexpected setback after races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the West Asia involving the United States and Iran. The announcement was made early Sunday in Shanghai ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, confirming that the two Grands Prix scheduled for April will not take place because of safety concerns. Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula One, said the decision was difficult but necessary given the current situation.
“While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage considering the current situation in the Middle East,” Domenicali said.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the governing body had to put the safety of everyone involved first.
“The FIA will always place the safety and well being of our community and colleagues first,” Ben Sulayem said. “After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind.”
Also Read - ‘Uninstalled social media after my second zero’: Abhishek on Gambhir-Surya advice that saved his T20 WC
Formula 1 also said that it looked at different options but could not find a way to replace the races in April.
Trending Stories
)
Lift accident? Maintenance, builders & makers are ALL liable now, rules Supreme Court: 3 major regulations | WION Decodes
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Delhi Consumer Court fines Indian Railways Rs 25,000 for making RAC passengers share one blanket
)
Kangana Ranaut clarifies her 'Generation Gutter' remark: 'Gen Z of our country are taking us to such heights' - watch
)
Assam floods 2026: Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt and other Bollywood celebrities extend support to affected families
)
India avoids higher US tariff, secures lower 10% rate. Here's how
)
Netanyahu spent thousands of dollars on garden maintenance in wartime, report says | Gravitas
)
Ramayana trailer X review: Ranbir Kapoor, Yash shine in a visual spectacle fans call 'cinema at its finest'
)
28-year-old woman PhD scholar dies of electrocution on Panjab University campus
)
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke returns to Maharashtra, receives grand welcome in hometown
)
Ramayana Part 1 trailer out! Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash lead Nitesh Tiwari’s epic saga
)
Brewery offering 'free beer' the day Trump dies has license revoked - 'Will have to pry me out of my taprooms'
)
'There is no Pakistani Kashmir, only Pakistan-occupied Kashmir': Indian Embassy in US calls out 'misleading' NYT headline
)
3.6mn people track 24hr Qantas flight from Melbourne to Toulouse: Pilot shifts, fuel tank and other details
)
ITR filing without Form 16? Here’s how salaried taxpayers can submit returns before July 31 deadline
)
Cat’s bizarre reaction before Japan earthquake goes viral: Did it detect the tremors?
)
DSP among 7 policemen killed as militants storm Pakistan checkpost; 8 attackers dead
)
NEET Protests riddled with misinformation? Delhi Police blocks 480 Pakistan-based handles spreading 'fake news' since Operation Sindoor
)
British Airways flight comes close to 'nosediving' over London
)
North Korean colonel killed by firing squad for stealing grain as 'deeply shaken' officers watched
)
'Powerful response': US launches fresh revenge strikes on Iran after Trump vow to 'hit back hard'
)
Mysterious projectile leaves massive crater in Poland near Ukraine border, probe launched
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
Anthropic reveals India is Claude AI's No. 2 market. But what are Indians actually using the AI for? | WION Decodes
)
Are you an Indian on an H-1B visa? New US bill could make getting Green Card easier
)
582 tonnes, 150 million°C, 60 years: WION Decodes the mind-boggling numbers behind China's 'Artificial Sun'
)
Claude AI down? Anthropic confirms outage as users face errors across chatbot and API
)
Commonwealth Games 2026 Day 8: India's full schedule, medal events and match timings
)
Student denied admission to IIT Kanpur's cybersecurity program hacks websites to prove a point
)
Nearly Rs 29 crore cash, 15 kg gold found at ex-bus driver's house in West Bengal
“Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April,” the statement read. “While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April.”
Why were the races cancelled?
The decision comes as tensions in the West Asia rise after Iran carried out retaliatory attacks following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets. The effects of the conflict have been felt in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, creating serious security concerns for a global event like Formula 1.
Organising a Grand Prix weekend requires moving hundreds of tonnes of equipment and large teams of staff across countries weeks in advance. With travel uncertainty and safety risks in the region, Formula 1 decided it could not take the chance.
Have F1 races been cancelled before?
Race cancellations are uncommon in Formula 1 but they have happened before. In 2023, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy was cancelled after severe flooding hit the region.
Earlier, in 2022, Formula 1 ended its deal for the Russian Grand Prix after Russia invaded Ukraine. Interestingly, that same year the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix still went ahead even after Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked an oil facility near the circuit in Jeddah during practice, with smoke visible from the track.
Bahrain had already hosted two F1 pre-season tests earlier this year before tensions increased, however, a planned wet-weather tyre test was later cancelled soon after the strikes on Iran.
