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The fourth round of racing of the new Formula 1 season, scheduled for next month in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, is no longer expected to go ahead as planned.
ESPN, citing sources, reported that F1 officials have agreed to cancel the events amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Sky News was the first to report the cancellation.
The Bahrain race was scheduled for April 12, while the Saudi Arabia test was due to begin on April 19 in the city of Jeddah. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been hit by missile attacks during Iran’s retaliation following a series of US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
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Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso competes during the Miami F1 Grand Prix at the Miami International Speedway on May 7, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Eva Marie Uzcategul T/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Although it is not yet clear what state the conflict will be in around the scheduled start dates of the races, F1 teams will soon need to start shipping cargo to the region in preparation for both events. The condensed timeline likely led decision makers to now reach a conclusion.
It is unknown if the Middle East races will be rescheduled for a later date. However, there is little room in the rest of this year’s calendar to change events.
The F1 logo is displayed during the Formula 1 MSC Cruises Grande Premio De Sao Paulo 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 6, 2025. (Alessio Morgese/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Given the uncertainty, F1 would have made the decision to avoid any interruption to the championship should a race be canceled later in the calendar.
LIV GOLFERS FACE ‘TERRIFYING’ EXPERIENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WHEN CONFLICT BREAK OUT IN IRAN
The reduced 22-race calendar for 2026 also creates a five-week gap between the third round of the season in Japan and the Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for May 3.
Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli (12), driving the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W16, leads Britain’s Lando Norris, driving the (4) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes, during the Saudi Arabian F1 Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 20, 2025, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Clive Mason/Getty Images)
A request for comment from Pak Gazette Digital about Formula 1 was not immediately returned.
On Thursday, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton said he was confident F1 would make the best decision.
“I know that [F1 CEO] stephano [Domenicali] “We will do what is right for all of us and for the sport,” Hamilton said before the Chinese Grand Prix. “That’s the good thing about having a great leader like him.”
