Shanghai, March 15 (NationPress) The Formula 1 organization has officially announced the cancellation of its upcoming Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, originally scheduled for next month, due to the intensifying conflict in the Middle East. This decision reduces the 2026 season's calendar to 22 races and introduces an extended spring break.

On Sunday, the sport confirmed that the races set to take place in Sakhir on April 12 and Jeddah on April 19 would be called off due to security issues and logistical challenges arising from the ongoing conflict in the region.

This cancellation follows weeks of uncertainty triggered by the outbreak of hostilities on February 28, which saw the United States and Israel conduct military strikes against Iran, escalating into a broader regional conflict that has significantly disrupted travel and heightened security concerns, as reported by Xinhua.

In response to the strikes, several countries in the region have closed their airspace.

Formula 1, alongside the FIA, has been closely monitoring the situation but faced increasing pressure to make a definitive decision as shipping deadlines approached. Teams required timely transportation of their equipment to the Middle East to facilitate the races.

The cancellation results in a prolonged 35-day gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, effectively leaving April devoid of F1 racing.

Formula 1 considered various alternative venues, such as Portimao in Portugal, Imola in Italy, and Istanbul Park in Türkiye, all of which hosted replacement races during the pandemic-affected 2020 season.

However, the limited timeframe for organizing a new event and the difficulty in securing hosting fees rendered these options unviable. Given that the championship is already structured for 24 rounds, there was little motivation to add replacement races at such short notice.

The absence of these two Middle Eastern races will also have significant financial repercussions. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are among the highest-paying hosts on the calendar, and this cancellation is projected to result in over 130 million U.S. dollars in lost revenue for Formula 1 and its teams.

Teams share in the sport's commercial income, meaning the financial impact will be distributed across the grid.

With the Bahrain and Saudi races now off the calendar, the championship will pick back up in Miami after the extended hiatus following Japan, with the rest of the season expected to proceed as planned.