Formula 1 has officially cancelled the 2026 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, reducing the season from 24 to 22 races with no replacement events planned.
Formula 1 cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from 2026 calendar
The announcement, made on Saturday ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, confirmed that the Bahrain Grand Prix on 10–12 April and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on 17–19 April will not go ahead. Neither race will be replaced on the calendar, leaving a five-week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on 27–29 March and the Miami Grand Prix on 1–3 May.
“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,” said Stefano Domenicali, F1’s President and CEO.
Why the races were cancelled
Both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are among the Gulf states targeted by Iranian retaliatory strikes following US-Israeli military operations in the region. F1 had delayed the decision as long as possible, hoping for a de-escalation that did not come.
In an official statement, Formula 1 said: “After careful evaluations, due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will not take place in April. While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April.”
According to Sky Sports, venues including Portimão, Imola, and Istanbul Park were explored as potential replacements but were deemed impractical given the short timeframe and the logistics of securing hosting agreements at such notice.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem confirmed that safety was the overriding factor. “The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first,” he said. “After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind. We continue to hope for calm, safety and a swift return to stability in the region.”
What it means for ticket holders
A cancelled race weekend is, of course, trivial set against the human cost of the conflict that caused it. Nonetheless, many fans will have committed significant money to tickets, flights, and hotels for these events, and will understandably want to know where they stand.
Formula 1 has dealt with race cancellations before — from the pandemic, the flooding that cancelled the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, and the removal of the Russian Grand Prix following the invasion of Ukraine. In each case where a race was cancelled outright, ticket holders were ultimately refunded. There is every reason to expect the same outcome here, but the timeline and process will depend on where you bought your tickets.
For flights and hotels booked independently, check whether your travel insurance covers event cancellation due to conflict or force majeure. Most standard policies do not include this as standard, but some offer it as an extension or within broader cancellation cover. Even where a direct refund is available from an airline or hotel, a travel insurance claim may help recover non-refundable costs such as connecting flights or accommodation deposits.
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I’m Danny, an incurable Formula 1 fan for over 35 years and founder of The F1 Spectator. My aim is to inform and inspire, arming you with helpful tips and advice for your next F1 trip.
