The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix are likely to be cancelled without replacement, reducing the F1 calendar to 22 races due to regional conflict and logistical hurdles.
FORMULA One is poised to cancel its grands prix in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia without finding replacement races, reducing the 2025 championship to 22 rounds.
Multiple senior sources within the F1 paddock confirmed this is the most probable outcome amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir is scheduled for April 12, with the Saudi Arabian race in Jeddah set for the following weekend.
Regional instability has seen Iranian missiles and drones target areas including Manama, where a hotel was struck. Major international airports in the region also remain closed, complicating travel.
Rescheduling the races later in the year is deemed extremely difficult due to prohibitively high summer temperatures in the Gulf. The congested F1 calendar also lacks obvious gaps, with the sport committed to maintaining its August break to ease team burdens.
Potential replacement venues like Imola, Le Castellet, Portimao, and Istanbul Park present major logistical challenges at short notice. Promoters would have little time to sell tickets and organise the necessary security and personnel.
Holding a second race at Japan’s Suzuka was also suggested but is considered problematic. It would cast an unwanted double spotlight on engine supplier Honda’s current performance issues with the Aston Martin team.
The Middle Eastern races are significant financial contributors to F1’s revenue. Both nations also have deep ties to the sport, with Bahrain owning the McLaren team and Saudi Arabia involved as a major sponsor and investor.
This is not the first cancellation for Bahrain, which also missed its 2011 race due to domestic unrest. That event was not rescheduled after teams objected to a proposed late October date.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem have both stated that safety is the priority. Domenicali is expected to discuss the situation with team bosses on Saturday in Melbourne.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown noted there has been little communication so far due to the focus on travelling to the Australian Grand Prix. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff expressed hope to race but questioned its current realism.
The decision also impacts Formula Two, which is scheduled to test in Bahrain from March 25-27. A senior F2 source expects both the test and the supporting race to be cancelled, with an announcement possible this weekend.
If cancelled, the next F2 round would not be until Monaco in June. A 22-race F1 season, while shorter than planned, is still a long campaign that would allow the sport to meet its core commercial obligations.
 The Sun Malaysia
