The 2026 calendar of Formula 1 has been disrupted after confirmation of the cancellation of two major Middle East rounds. The races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, originally scheduled for April, will no longer take place as regional tensions continue to escalate across West Asia. With no replacement events planned, the development creates a significant gap in the racing schedule following the Japanese round. The decision also impacted the support categories that were due to race during the same weekends, forcing a major reshuffle in the early phase of the season.
Bahrain And Saudi Arabia GP Cancelled
Formula 1 announced that the upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will not be held as originally planned. The decision follows the ongoing instability across parts of the Middle East, which has raised safety concerns for teams, officials and fans.
According to the schedule, the Bahrain Grand Prix was set to take place on April 12 at the Bahrain International Circuit. A week later, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was due to be hosted at the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 19.
With both races now cancelled, the championship will witness a long five-week break between the Japanese Grand Prix at the end of March and the Miami Grand Prix in early May.
No Replacement Races In April
Formula 1 also clarified that alternative venues were explored, but ultimately the series decided against adding replacement rounds to the calendar.
"While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April. The Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy rounds will also not take place during their scheduled times," F1 shared in an official statement.
The cancellation will therefore affect multiple support series, including Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy, which were scheduled to race alongside Formula 1 during the Middle East leg.
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F1 And FIA Stress Safety Concerns
Stefano Domenicali acknowledged that the decision was not easy but necessary given the circumstances in the region.
"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."
He also thanked the governing body Federation Internationale de l'Automobile and local promoters for their cooperation and understanding despite the disappointment of not hosting the races this year.
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FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasised that safety remains the governing body's top priority. He noted that the organisation hopes for stability to return soon so that Formula 1 can once again race in both countries, which remain key stops on the global motorsport calendar.
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