Formula 1 organisers on Sunday confirmed that the upcoming Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prixes won’t be taking place in April as originally planned due to the ongoing West Asia crisis. The announcement was expected for some time now, considering the escalation of tensions between the USA/Israel, and Iran in the Middle East. Whether the races are scheduled later this year, only time will tell, but the possibility hasn’t been ruled out yet.
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prixes were slated to be the fourth and fifth races of the 2025 F1 calendar. They were due to go ahead on April 12 and 19, respectively. The Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 ACADEMY rounds will also not take place during their scheduled times.
No substitution will be made in April, and after the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29, the action will resume on May 4 with the Miami Grand Prix.
“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,” Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said in an official statement.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the FIA as well as our incredible promoters for their support and total understanding, as they were looking forward to hosting us with their usual energy and passion. We cannot wait to be back with them as soon as the circumstances allow us to do so,” he added.
What did the F1 president say?
The FIA President said that the safety and well-being of the F1 community are of utmost importance. Hence, the decision was taken to postpone the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
“The FIA will always place the safety and well-being of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind. We 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,” Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President said.
“Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are incredibly important to the ecosystem of our racing season, and I look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow. My sincere thanks to the promoters, our partners, and our colleagues across the championship for the collaborative and constructive approach that has led to this decision,” he added.
The F1 2026 season got underway last week with Mercedes’ George Russell winning the Australian Grand Prix. The second race of the season, the Chinese Grand Prix, is scheduled for Sunday, March 15.
