Formula 1 is set to cancel the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix scheduled for next month due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
While a formal announcement is expected by the weekend, the decision is now considered inevitable as logistical deadlines for shipping freight approach.
With the conflict between the US/Israel and Iran showing no signs of easing, officials determined the risk to personnel was too high.
The Bahraini capital has already been targeted by missiles, and Jeddah is also deemed unsafe for a major sporting event.
The calendar drops from 24 to 22 races; no replacements (such as Portimao or Imola) will be added.
F1 faces a loss of over £100m in hosting fees, impacting prize money for both teams and stakeholders.
A five-week break will now occur between the Japanese GP (March 29) and the Miami GP (May 3).
Ultimately, the sport’s leadership decided the safety risks and logistical hurdles outweighed the massive commercial cost of calling off two of the season’s highest-paying races.
