F1 & FIA confirm cancellations of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix
The FIA has confirmed the cancellation of the races due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Since my report yesterday, the FIA has since confirmed the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix.
It follows the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the dangers that would be posed to the drivers, team officials and other personnel that make the race weekends happen.
The 24 race calendar will now be cut to 22 races as there isn’t enough time to move them to different circuits. Portimão in Portugal, Imola in Italy and Istanbul Park in Turkey were amongst considerations to replace the two Grand Prix.
Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1, said: “While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage considering the current situation in the Middle East.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the FIA as well as our incredible promoters for their support and total understanding as they were looking forward to hosting us with their usual energy and passion.
"We cannot wait to be back with them as soon as the circumstances allow us to do so."
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “The FIA will always place the safety and well-being of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind.
“We continue to hope for calm, safety and a swift return to stability in the region, and my thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events.
“Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are incredibly important to the ecosystem of our racing season, and I look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow. My sincere thanks to the promoters, our partners, and our colleagues across the championship for the collaborative and constructive approach that has led to this decision.”
F1 is taking a huge commercial hit of more than £100m due to the cancellations because Bahrain and Saudi Arabia pay two of the highest hosting fees of the season.
The decision will mean a 5 week break between the Japanese Grand Prix on the 29th March and the Miami Grand Prix on the 3rd May.