Atento Colapinto: the FIA canceled two Grand Prix due to the conflicts in the Middle East

Finally, the inevitable happened. Formula 1 confirmed this Saturday the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. The decision was officially announced by the category and the International Automobile Federation (FIA), after evaluating the security situation in the region

.

Both races were scheduled to take place during April at the Sakhir and Jeddah circuits, so the suspension will leave a full month without activity in the championship. Thus, after the Japanese Grand Prix scheduled for March 29 in Suzuka, the season will resume only in May with the race in

Miami.

The war situation, added to flight cancellations and logistical problems with moving equipment and material, ended up tipping the balance towards suspension. In recent weeks, there had been speculation about possible alternative venues, such as Portimao, Paul Ricard or Imola, but

these options were eventually ruled out.

The organization explained that, although alternatives were analyzed to maintain the calendar, it was finally decided not to replace those events. The determination also affects the support categories, since the dates corresponding to Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy will not be contested either

.

“While it was a difficult decision to make, unfortunately it is the right one at this time considering the current situation in the region,” said Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1. The leader also thanked the local organizers for their collaboration and expressed the desire to return when conditions permit

.

In the same vein, the president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, spoke out, who stressed that the priority is the safety of all those involved. “The FIA will always prioritize the safety and well-being of our community. After careful consideration, we have made this decision with that responsibility in mind,” he said

.

With this scenario, the calendar for the 2026 season will be reduced from 24 to 22 races and teams will have a four-week break between Japan and Miami, a time that many teams will take advantage of to continue working on the development of their cars.