F1 calendar hit pause

Formula 1 confirmed on March 14, 2026 that the Bahrain round originally scheduled for April 10–12 and the Saudi Arabian round scheduled for April 17–19 will not take place in April. (espn.com) F1’s official release said several alternatives were considered but “no substitutions will be made in April,” and the decision was taken in full consultation with the FIA and the local promoters. (formula1.com) The two cancellations cut the planned 2026 championship from 24 rounds to 22 rounds on the official calendar. (motorsport.com) Formula 1 also confirmed that the FIA Formula 2, FIA Formula 3 and F1 Academy events scheduled to run on those April weekends will not take place as planned. (formula1.com) Imola, Portimão and Istanbul Park were among the short‑notice replacement venues discussed internally, but F1 sources warned the limited pool of FIA Grade 1 circuits and tight logistics made plug‑and‑play swaps impractical. (planetf1.com) Insiders told ESPN the call to cancel Bahrain was relatively straightforward while the Saudi promoter pushed to hold Jeddah, with F1 citing the risk of escalation if freight and personnel were already in country. (espn.com) Ticket handling varied by promoter: the Saudi Grand Prix site said refunds are being processed automatically to original payment methods (allowing up to 21 working days), while Bahrain’s circuit offered fans a refund or a credit note redeemable for a future Bahrain Grand Prix. (tickets.saudiarabiangp.com) (timeoutbahrain.com) Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem both framed the decision as taken after careful evaluation, thanking promoters and saying they look forward to returning to both venues when circumstances permit. (formula1.com)