F1 upheaval continues

Formula 1’s 2026 disruption now stretches from the trackside timetable to the pit wall, with Formula 2 redrawing its spring calendar and Red Bull confirming Gianpiero Lambiase will leave for McLaren in 2028. (formula1.com) Formula 1 said on March 14 that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix would not take place in April because of “the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” and it said no Formula 1 replacement races would be staged that month. (formula1.com) That decision also wiped out the scheduled Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy weekends in Sakhir and Jeddah, leaving a multiweek gap before the Formula 1 paddock returns in Miami on May 1-3. Sky Sports reported the 2026 Formula 1 calendar dropped from 24 rounds to 22 after the cancellations. (formula1.com) (skysports.com) Formula 2 moved first to fill part of the gap. Multiple reports said the series added Miami and Montreal, replacing the lost Bahrain and Saudi rounds and restoring its 2026 schedule to 14 races. (speedcafe.com) (f1i.com) The change sends Formula 2 to North America for the first time, with Miami becoming Round 2 and Montreal Round 3 after the season opener in Melbourne. That gives Formula 1’s main feeder series a way to keep its race count intact while the senior championship remains on a shortened calendar. (autoaction.com.au) (speedcafe.com) At the same time, Red Bull and McLaren confirmed on April 9 that Lambiase will leave Red Bull when his contract expires in 2028 and join McLaren as chief racing officer. McLaren said he will report to team principal Andrea Stella in a role that already exists inside the team structure. (formula1.com) (mclaren.com) Lambiase joined Red Bull in 2015 and became Max Verstappen’s race engineer in 2016, making him one of the most familiar voices on Formula 1 radio. Red Bull called him “a valued member of the team” and said both sides remain committed through the end of his contract. (formula1.com) The team changes land during a tense first season under Formula 1’s new 2026 rules package. GPFans and Motorsport Week reported that Helmut Marko has pressed the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile for urgent changes to the regulations after early complaints about how the new cars race. (gpfans.com) (motorsportweek.com) The result is a season now defined as much by rescheduling and staffing as by lap times: Formula 2 has rebuilt its spring around Miami and Montreal, while Red Bull has two more years before Verstappen’s longtime engineer walks to a direct rival. (mclaren.com) (formula1.com)