F1 set for month-long gap as two races set to be cancelled

It is understood that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix's will be cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East which will reduce the 2026 Season to 22 races and incur a five-week gap between races.

Rhonan Colquhoun 11:33am 14th March 2026

A formal decision has not been made by the FIA and Formula 1 but reports from BBC and Sky Sports now suggest that a final decision will be made this weekend.

The growing conflict in the Middle East has not improved over recent weeks and with tensions escalating, it's in the best interest of the governing bodies of the sport that safety for all is paramount.

The fourth and fifth rounds of the Championship would have taken place in Bahrain between the 10th and 12th of April and then the sport would head to Saudi Arabia a week later on the 17th to 19th of April.

Despite attempts to race elsewhere - Portugal's Portimão, Italy's Imola and Türkiye's Istanbul Park circuits have been held as most viable - there would be not enough time to get ready for events in April.

Formula 1 will instead complete the Japanese Grand Prix on the 29th of March and then will wait to the start of May for the Miami Grand Prix on the 3rd of May.

There also is further concern for races later in the year - Azerbaijan, Qatar and the season-finale in Abu Dhabi - as these circuits as close to the conflict.

This has a massive impact on Formula 1's junior series Formula 2 who will now have to wait until the Monaco Grand Prix in early June for their second round of the Championship.