MELBOURNE, Australia — Formula 1’s April faces in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are at serious risk of cancellation due to the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran.
F1 is due to go to the Middle East for the fourth and fifth round of the new season, with events in Bahrain on April 12 and then Saudi Arabia a week later on April 19.
Both countries are among the Gulf states who have been targeted in retaliatory strikes by Iran.
F1 boss Stefano Domenicali is due to meet with the teams on Saturday and the status of both races is expected to be top of the agenda.
A U.S. naval base and residential buildings in Bahrain capital Manama were hit just one week after Formula 1 had been in the country for preseason testing at the same venue set to host the race. Many teams stay in Manama for the race.
Some F1 team personnel were still in the country at the time for a Pirelli tyre test at the circuit, which was subsequently cancelled.
Due to the logistics of the freight which move between races, F1 has at least another week before a call needs to be made. It is more likely a decision will be announced after next week’s Chinese Grand Prix.
Multiple high-ranking F1 officials have told ESPN they highly doubt either race will go ahead and there is a growing feeling within the Albert Park paddock that the races will be cancelled.
That would leave a month-long gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on April 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3.
ESPN understands it is unlikely another circuit would be used to host a stand-in race due to the limited timeframe to get ready.
The conflict already complicated F1’s opening race, Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, due to disruptions and cancellations to flights teams were taking via the Middle East to Melbourne, which means the teams have not properly discussed the issue of April’s races yet.
Domenicali told Sky Sports on Friday: “Our approach, first of all, is safety for all the relevant stakeholders, the people and also the [race] promoter itself. We don’t want to do any statement today because, you know, things are so evolving, so changing, that we have still time to make the right decision. And this decision will be taken together.
“We have an open option in place. Of course, it’s all connected to the risks that are evolving that we need to manage. All options could be open at the right moment we will make the decision, of course, involving everyone.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown said: “There’s been very little communication about it yet because of the effort that it took just to get here to Australia. Obviously, the sport, ourselves, the fans, the partners, our race team, all that will be of the utmost importance from a safety point of view. We just have to see how things play out, and we’ll make the right decision for the health of everybody involved in the sport.”
On the expected discussion with F1, Brown said a few considerations will come into play.
When asked about the financial impact and salary cap implications for teams if two races get cancelled, he said: “It all kind of depends. Do the races get replaced? Do they get delayed? And the economics around that.
“But I think, given what’s going on, we’re not bothered… if it does have a little bit of a financial impact, so be it, with what’s going on.”
Sources have downplayed the idea of either race being re-arranged for later in the year too.
Not only is there limited space in a 24-race season stretching through to Dec. 6 and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, an event which pays a premium to host the season-ending race, there are also sporting factors to consider.
With no guarantee of either when the conflict will end or whether there will be escalations in the conflict down the line, F1 does not want to be in a position where a championship is decided or influenced by a race being cancelled at the tail-end of the calendar.
As for filling the gap which would be left with other circuits, options are understood to be limited anyway.
The Imola circuit did host a race at a similar point of the year last season, but it is understood the circuit would not have enough turnaround time to get prepared on short notice this time around.
Turkey’s Istanbul circuit has been reported as a potential stand-by to replace the new Madrid Grand Prix this year if it is not ready in time, but ESPN has been told by sources with good knowledge of the calendar and the status of potential new venues these reports have significantly overstated Istanbul Park’s readiness to return as a race host currently.
