“Organising replacement races on short notice would be difficult for the championship”
The Formula One calendar may change after reports say the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix could be cancelled due to security concerns in the Middle East.
Organisers scheduled the Bahrain race for April 12 and the Saudi Arabian race a week later. However, rising tensions in the region have created safety concerns for drivers, teams, staff, and fans travelling to the two countries.
Formula One and the FIA are now monitoring the situation closely before making a final decision. Teams also face logistics challenges because they must ship cars and equipment weeks before the race weekends.
If officials confirm the cancellations, the 2026 season will drop from 24 races to 22. The change would also create a longer break between the Japanese Grand Prix and the Miami Grand Prix.
Officials discussed possible replacement venues, but organising a race at short notice remains difficult. Formula One is expected to make an official announcement soon, with safety as the top priority.