THE International Automobile Federation (FIA) has called off the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, originally scheduled as the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2026 Formula One World Championship.
In an official statement, the FIA said the races slated for April 10 to 12 in Sakhir and April 17 to 19 in Jeddah will not push through due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
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The governing body also confirmed that the canceled events will not be replaced by alternate venues.
The decision also affects the support series, with Formula 2 Championship, Formula 3 Championship, and F1 Academy events in both countries likewise called off.
With the two rounds removed, the 2026 season currently stands at 22 races instead of what was set to be a record 24-round calendar.
“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.
“The FIA will always put the safety and well-being of our community and colleagues first and we continue to hope for calm, safety and a swift return to stability,” added Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“My thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events.”
The cancellations leave Formula 1 without any races scheduled in April. The next race after the Japanese Grand Prix from March 27 to 29 will now be the Miami Grand Prix from May 1 to 3.
If the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds are not rescheduled later in the year, the championship’s next Middle East leg will come at the end of the season, with the Qatar Grand Prix on November 27 to 29 and the finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from December 4 to 6.
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