Formula 1 cancels Bahrain GP, but organizers aren't giving up hope for a 2026 race

Due to the war in the region, Formula One Management (FOM) and the FIA decided last Saturday to cancel both the fourth and fifth Grands Prix (in Saudi Arabia) of the season. At this moment, it is too dangerous for F1 to head to the Middle East.

Waiting a few more weeks in the hope that the situation would improve was not an option. After all, the freight for Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula 3 had to be shipped to Bahrain this week; otherwise, it would have arrived too late anyway.

For the organizers in Bahrain, the news did not come as a surprise, but it was still a blow. Nevertheless, there is quiet hope that at some other point in 2026 the situation in the region will be calm and Formula 1 will still choose a date to travel to Bahrain, this website understands. Incidentally, the organizers have not received any signals from the FIA and FOM at this time that this is a realistic option.

However, to their surprise, the organizers in Bahrain read in the press release that the FIA and FOM stated that no Grand Prix would be held in April. There was no explicit mention of a full cancellation of the race this calendar year.

The wording in the press release gives Bahrain a glimmer of hope, although the chance of a new date is small.

In any case, it seems impossible to fit Bahrain into the current, overcrowded calendar. The only possibility would be if another Grand Prix were to drop out somewhere and an alternative venue had to be found. It should be noted, however, that holding a Grand Prix in Bahrain during the summer is a non-starter due to the extremely high temperatures.

Should a European Grand Prix fall through for any reason, Bahrain does not seem the logical place to step in as an alternative.