Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grands Prix set to be cancelled

The Bahrain Grand Prix has been cancelled
The Bahrain Grand Prix has been cancelledREUTERS / Hamad I Mohammed

Next month's Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grands Prix are ⁠set to be cancelled over the weekend due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Multiple sources told Reuters an announcement, ‌seen within the sport as just a matter of time, was expected by ‌Monday at the latest, with a March 20th deadline looming ‌for freight that has to be transported to Bahrain for logistical reasons.

Sky ‌Sports television, which has the broadcasting rights in Britain where ‌most of the 11 teams are based, said it understood the races would be called off by Sunday night.

US and Israeli attacks on Iran ‌are continuing while Iranian drones and missiles have ⁠hit some Middle Eastern capitals ‌, including Bahrain's Manama, where most team personnel would be staying in hotels.

Formula ​One is racing in China this weekend for the second round of the season after the opener in ​Australia last weekend.

Sources have indicated previously that neither Middle Eastern race is likely to be replaced or rescheduled, leaving April an empty ⁠month for the series ​and the championship reduced to 22 rounds.

Bahrain was scheduled for April 12th, with the Saudi race in Jeddah on April 19th.

The Japanese Grand Prix, round three, is on March 29th, with the next ‌race then in Miami on May 3rd.

"I think we follow the guidance of the FIA and Formula One, as we always do. They’ve always led us in the right direction," Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley told reporters after practice at the Shanghai circuit.

"Nobody’s going to compromise on anything that would put teams into an uncomfortable situation."

There was no immediate comment from Liberty Media-owned Formula One or the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA).

The World Endurance Championship (WEC) ‌has already postponed what would have been its season-opener in Qatar ​on March 26th to 28th, with the first race now scheduled for ‌Italy's Imola circuit on April 19th.

The Qatar round at the Lusail circuit outside Doha, which also hosts Formula One in November, has been rescheduled for October 24th as the penultimate round before the finale in Bahrain on November 7th.

MotoGP is ⁠due to race in Qatar ⁠on April 12th, with ‌that round also likely to be cancelled.

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