Formula 1 has officially cancelled the 2026 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix scheduled for April due to ongoing conflict and safety concerns in the Middle East. These cancellations leave a large gap in the race calendar and create logistical and financial challenges for teams, organisers and sponsors.
Teams now face a long break between the Japanese Grand Prix at the end of March and the next race in Miami in early May, which disrupts development and planning under the sport’s new technical regulations.
The decision also affects support series like Formula 2, Formula 3 and the F1 Academy, which were due to race at the same Middle East venues.
With no replacement races scheduled in April, the 2026 championship will have fewer events than originally planned, reducing revenue from hosting fees and contracts tied to those cancelled rounds.
F1 and the FIA prioritised safety for drivers, team members and fans amid regional instability, while monitoring developments to decide on future events later in the season.