Formula One officially calls off the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix
Formula One has officially announced that the Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2026 which were scheduled for April 12, 2026 and April 19, 2026 will not be taking place in April. The decision comes as a result of the instability in the Middle East region. Formula One stated they had thought about alternatives but decided not to make any substitutions for the two races. Additionally the Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 ACADEMY races in the two countries will also not take place during their scheduled time period.
With the decision to not hold the two races in April, it means that following the conclusion of the Japanese Grand Prix 2026 on March 29, 2026, Formula One will go on a month long break and will return on May 3, 2026 for the Miami Grand Prix 2026.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula One, commented,
“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. I want to take this opportunity to thank the FIA as well as our incredible promoters for their support and total understanding as they were looking forward to hosting us with their usual energy and passion. We cannot wait to be back with them as soon as the circumstances allow us to do so.”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, said,
“The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first. 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, and my thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are incredibly important to the ecosystem of our racing season, and I look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow. My sincere thanks to the promoters, our partners, and our colleagues across the championship for the collaborative and constructive approach that has led to this decision.”
Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain International Circuit, added,
“We fully support the decision by Formula 1, and we are grateful to them and to the FIA for their support and enduring partnership. We look forward to welcoming fans from all around the world back to Bahrain when F1 returns. On behalf of all of us at BIC, I take this opportunity to offer our sincere thanks to all those in the F1 community who have taken the time to send us messages of support.”
HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and Chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), stated,
“The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation respect the decision taken by Formula 1 regarding the 2026 race calendar. Fans across the Kingdom were once again looking forward to the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah this April, but we understand the considerations behind this decision and remain in close partnership with Formula 1.”
