No Grands Prix in Europe: Why Formula 1 isn't replacing the races in Bahrain and Jeddah

Tough luck for European fans who were secretly hoping for an additional Grand Prix nearby. It is looking increasingly likely that there will be no substitute events if the Grands Prix of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are canceled due to the current situation in the Middle East. Virtually everyone in the paddock is convinced those races will not go ahead.

The decision not to opt for alternatives has several reasons, all of which boil down to the same thing: money. First of all, Formula 1 teams would incur additional costs if they have to transport their cars, personnel and equipment to a European circuit at the last minute. The costs for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have already been incurred; a trip to Europe would be extra.

Imola and Portimão, for example, were mentioned as possible alternative venues for the races in the Middle East, but GPblog already explained that they do not actually have room to host F1 in April.

In practice, it’s possible to move the racing series that have these tracks booked to another date, but then they (and everyone involved) would have to be compensated. That also costs a ton of money.

On top of that, hotels would need to be found for F1 personnel, which could prove to be a major challenge. Especially in southern Portugal, many places will be fully booked. And hotel owners know the situation is urgent, which drives prices up as well.

It’s well known that Imola and Portimão would be happy to welcome Formula 1. But the owners of these circuits also realize they would be emergency solutions, so they’re never going to pay the sky-high fees that organizers usually do. That makes the alternatives equally unattractive for Formula 1.

The final decision hasn’t been made yet. It may happen on Saturday, but it increasingly looks like there won’t be Grands Prix in the Middle East nor in Europe during the month of April.