Formula 1 has decided to cancel the upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for April, sources confirmed to ESPN. The decision comes amid escalating tensions following Iran's response to attacks by the United States and Israel. The Bahrain Grand Prix was set for April 12, with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix following on April 19.

Both countries have been directly impacted by the ongoing conflict, prompting F1 to act despite uncertainty about whether the situation would resolve by race weekend. Teams faced logistical deadlines for shipping freight to the Middle East, forcing an immediate decision. The sport cannot risk having championship outcomes influenced by last-minute cancellations later in the season.

The cancellations will reduce the 2026 calendar from 24 to 22 races, creating a five-week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3. Lewis Hamilton expressed confidence in F1 leadership, stating that CEO Stefano Domenicali would make the right call for everyone involved.