Formula One is likely to call off the upcoming Grand Prix events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the ongoing conflict in the region. These races were originally planned to be held in April as part of the 2026 season, with Bahrain scheduled for April 10-12 and Saudi Arabia the following weekend.
The decision to cancel both races comes as a result of the tensions between Iran and the USA and Israel. This move will reduce the total number of races for this season from 24 to 22, according to Sky Sports. While there has been no official statement from Formula One or the FIA yet, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed concern for the situation and emphasized the importance of safety in a recent social media post.
With the cancellations, there will be no Formula One action in April, leading to a five-week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix at the end of this month and the Miami Grand Prix in early May. Currently, the focus is on the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, where British driver George Russell is expected to lead Saturday’s Sprint race. Russell, representing Mercedes, holds the top position in the early driver standings with 25 points after his success in Melbourne.
Sky has recently enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle, now offering HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu in addition to 135 channels and complete Formula 1 coverage. The network broadcasts all the practice sessions, qualifiers, and races throughout the season, along with exclusive coverage of other sports like the Premier League, EFL, darts, and golf.