F1 likely to drop Bahrain and Saudi Grand Prix amid Middle East conflict

Formula One is set to drop the races slated for next month in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia because of the ongoing Middle‑East conflict.

The series has not officially announced that the two Grand Prix will be called off, but a decision is expected before the Shanghai meeting concludes this weekend.

The events were planned for 12 April in Bahrain and 19 April in Saudi Arabia, and officials are nearing the point where a cancellation must be confirmed to avoid sending additional freight to Bahrain. The Sakhir circuit lies only about 20 miles (32 km) from a U.S. base that has already been hit by Iranian attacks.

Some team equipment is already stranded in Bahrain after testing, and there is little desire to dispatch further gear that could become inaccessible.

Should both rounds be scrapped, they are unlikely to be replaced given the difficulty of securing and supplying a venue on short notice. The calendar would then consist of 22 events, with a five‑week interval between the third round in Japan on 29 March and the fourth round in Miami on 3 May, during which teams could continue developing their cars under the new regulations.

On Friday, George Russell reinforced his status as the driver to watch this season, posting a dominant qualifying performance to take pole for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix. He locked out the front row alongside his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli, finishing more than half a second ahead of the nearest challenger.

The inaugural sprint weekend under the new rules is an uncharted test for teams and drivers, who had only a single hour of practice to determine the optimal energy deployment before qualifying.

Russell and Antonelli set the tempo in Q3, with the Briton leading by three‑tenths, followed initially by the Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc; the latter was six‑tenths off Russell and a full second behind the leader. In the final hot laps neither Russell nor Antonelli improved, but McLaren’s Lando Norris delivered a strong final lap to secure third, still six‑tenths slower than Russell’s pole time of 1 min 31.520 sec. Hamilton qualified fourth, Leclerc sixth and Oscar Piastri took fifth for McLaren.

Hamilton won the sprint in China last year, a highlight of an otherwise tough season, and he displayed similar speed this time, maintaining good pace. With Ferrari’s quick starts, Hamilton and Leclerc could still be contenders for Saturday’s race, where the brief 19‑lap format may favour those who gain track position early.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who has criticised the new regulations, expressed frustration in qualifying, telling his team: “Someone check this drivability, it’s horrendous.” He managed only a modest result in the session.