F1 Cancels Middle East Races As War Escalates

The war in the Middle East isn’t just causing endless anxiety; it’s now led to Formula 1 cancelling the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. 

According to The Guardian, the races were set to take place on April 12 and 19 in Saudi Arabia and were reaching a point where they had to decide whether the races would happen, as teams were starting to send freight to the locations. 

“It has been confirmed today 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,” a statement from F1 read. “While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April,”

F1’s chief executive Stefano Domenicali added that the decision was what was best for all involved. 

“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,” he said. “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.”

The FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “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.”

The Guardian notes that Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit, one of the raceways that would’ve been used, is just 20 miles from a US base that has already been the target of Iranian attacks. Some team freight that was shipped in preparation for the race is also already stuck in Bahrain.

The Formula One season will now run to 22 meetings, with a five-week gap between the third round in Japan on March 29 and what would then be the fourth round in Miami on May 3, during which teams would look to make car improvements. 

See social media’s reactions to the decisions below.