F1 hit by setbacks over Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix replacement races

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F1 hit by setbacks over Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix replacement races

Three tracks had been suggested to replace events at Sakhir and Jeddah

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Tuesday 10 March 2026 09:57

The chances of Formula 1 staging emergency races to potentially replace the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix in 2026 have reportedly become more unlikely.

F1 is set to visit the circuits of Sakhir and Jeddah in April, but both venues are dangerously in close proximity to the Middle East conflict in Iran following missile strikes from United States and Israeli forces.

Safety is of paramount importance to F1 as well as the sport's governing body the FIA and both continue to monitor events in the Middle East before making any final announcements on whether the races go ahead or not.

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Should they be cancelled, it would leave a huge gap in the F1 calendar with no grands prix being staged between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3.

Given the packed schedule of the F1 calendar, postponing the races so they can be staged later on the year is effectively impossible. Teams are not expected to start sending freight to Sakhir for the first of those races which takes place on April 12 until after the Japanese Grand Prix, so F1 and the FIA have until shortly before that to make a final call.

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Imola, Portimao or Suzuka?

According to the Race, replacement grands prix had been floated as ideas, with Imola in Italy touted as a possible return having only been dropped for this season. The Portimao circuit in Portugal, that will return after a six-years absence next year, was also discussed.

A third option would be to run a double header in Japan, but the welfare over team mechanics who would have been non-stop on the road since the start of the season at this weekend's Australian Grand Prix was a concern.

In another twist, neither F1 nor the teams are desperate to fill the gap given the little financial gain the race can make at such short notice. F1 teams will lose out financially if two races are missed, but not to a severe extent.

McLaren boss Zak Brown admitted in Melbourne that missing races wasn't too much of an issue. He said: "It all kind of depends: do the races get replaced, do they get delayed, and the economics around that. But I think, given what's going on, we're not bothered if it does have a little bit of a financial impact."

The FIA have already postponed the first race of the World Endurance Championship at Sakhir, but with a potential date to move that on the calendar it was perhaps an easier decision to make.

Regarding the two F1 races in Sakhir and Jeddah, F1 are likely to leave it as late as they can to see if a resolution can come to the Middle East conflict during that time.

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FIA Bahrain Grand Prix Saudi Arabian Grand Prix