Formula 1 ended days of speculation on Saturday, confirming that both the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will not take place in April as scheduled, due to ongoing hostility in the region.
F1 cancels Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
F1 confirms the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
When the United States and Israel began a series of air strikes in Iran, speculation grew about both races, which were scheduled to take place in April. The Bahrain Grand Prix was slated for April 12, with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix scheduled for the following week. But the hostilities in the area forced the cancellation of a Pirelli tire test that was set to take place before the season, adding to the speculation regarding those two races.
Now, F1 has made it official.
In the announcement, F1 noted that “after careful evaluations, due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April.
“While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April.”
Both F1 President Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem addressed the matter.
“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. 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,” said Domenicali.
“The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing 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,” said Ben Sulayem.
“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.”
This means that following the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29, there will be a five-week gap in the schedule until the Miami Grand Prix at the start of May.
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