Formula 1 has confirmed what everybody already knew: the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will not take place in April. Formula 1 has confirmed that there were several alternatives considered, but it has been decided that those Grand Prix will not be substituted, meaning that, after the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29, there will be a five-week gap until the the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, and that the 2026 season will be two races shorter, 22 Grand Prix in total.
Obviously, the Formula 2, Formula 3, and F1 Academy rounds will also be cancelled. The Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, scheduled for November and December, remain on the calendar at the moment, waiting to see how the war between Israel, US, and Iran continues.
The president and CEO of Formula 1 Stefano Domenicali said: "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", thanking FIA and their promoters from their "support and total understanding".
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem added that "the FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first", and that they will "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", with plans to return to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia when the circumstances allow it.