Formula 1 is bracing for one of its most disruptive schedule changes in recent years as Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs are poised for official cancellation due to escalating Middle East conflict.
Sources close to the paddock in Shanghai confirm that Formula 1 and the FIA are finalizing the decision this weekend, prioritizing safety amid missile strikes and airspace closures that have already disrupted F1 logistics.
This unprecedented double blow comes just weeks after the season opener in Australia, leaving fans and teams bracing for a reshaped 2026 F1 calendar as the sport navigates one of its most precarious moments.
The conflict, sparked by joint US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28, has rapidly escalated, with retaliatory missile barrages targeting Gulf states including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Iranian missiles have struck civilian areas, energy infrastructure and US military bases, creating chaos just 15 miles from Bahrain International Circuit in some instances.
Airspace shutdowns across the Persian Gulf have forced F1 personnel to reroute travel for early races, and with Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled for April 12 and Jeddah the following weekend, the risks have become untenable.
It’s believed that promoters were particularly keen to save the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but a decision had to be made in order to give teams and other stakeholders the opportunity to address logistical issues around freight and personnel travel, with thousands of flights and hotel rooms set to be cancelled.
One of the most immediate consequences of losing Bahrain and Saudi Arabia GP from the calendar is the impact on the overall structure of the 2026 F1 season, which had been planned as a 24‑race campaign stretching from March to December.
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If both events are indeed removed and not replaced, the calendar will be reduced to 22 races, creating an unusually large gap in April between the end of the early Asian rounds and the resumption of action in North America.
Early reports suggest that Formula 1 is unlikely to pursue last‑minute replacement venues, due both to logistical constraints and a desire to avoid over‑stretching teams already facing a demanding global travel schedule.
While circuits such as Imola or Portimão have previously been mentioned in media speculation as possible stand‑ins for cancelled events, existing commitments like the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Imola make such options difficult in the specific April window.
Moreover, the March‑to‑December calendar is already tightly packed, leaving little room to insert additional races without creating problematic triple‑headers or overburdening F1 logistics and personnel.
Sources indicate that the prevailing view within Formula 1 is that a 22‑race season is still commercially robust and logistically manageable, especially in a year when teams will be adapting to new engine regulations.
As such, the cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia looks increasingly likely to be managed as a reduction rather than as a reshuffle, with the sport accepting a leaner calendar over an improvised, high‑stress substitution.
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