F1 cancels Middle East

Formula 1 said no replacement events will be scheduled in April and confirmed the Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy rounds that were due in that window will also not take place, a decision taken in full consultation with the FIA and the respective promoters. (formula1.com) President and CEO Stefano Domenicali described the move as “a difficult decision” and thanked the FIA, promoters and partners for their support, while FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the federation places the safety and wellbeing of the motorsport community first. (formula1.com) The adjustments shrink the 2026 calendar to 22 races and create a five‑week gap between the Aramco Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka (March 27–29) and the Miami round on May 1–3. (skysports.com) (formula1.com) Industry reporting cites promoter fees of roughly US$55 million a year for Saudi Arabia and about US$52 million a year for Bahrain, with those contracts among the most lucrative on the calendar and reportedly expiring in 2030 and 2036. (sportspro.com) Analyst notes referenced in coverage say promoter fees account for roughly 27% of Formula 1’s total revenue (about US$1.03 billion), and that the combination of lost hosting fees plus sponsorship and media adjustments will weigh on the sport’s Q2 financials after a US$1.2bn Q2 result in 2025. (sportspro.com) Coverage also flagged a sporting impact: teams will miss the usual Bahrain benchmark that follows pre‑season testing (tests at Bahrain ran in mid‑February), forcing greater reliance on simulation and wind‑tunnel data to measure early‑season performance. (sportspro.com) (formula1.com)