Article by Cezar Titor – Published on Monday, 02 March 2026, 13:58 / Updated on Monday, 02 March 2026 13:58
Before the start of the new season, Formula 1 is seriously affected by the conflict that broke out in the Middle East. The first race of 2026 will take place this weekend at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia.
In the past 72 hours, the Middle East has entered an open phase of armed conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel, after the US and Israeli military launched a series of airstrikes on Iranian territory, targeting military infrastructure and high-ranking leaders, in which Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader since 1989, was killed. Tehran retaliates by attacking various US bases in the region, as well as Israel and other civilian targets in the Gulf.
Test canceled in Bahrain, 100 staff stranded in region
Firstly, Pirelli had scheduled an unusual rain tire test from 28 February to 1 March in Bahrain (using track sprinklers) ahead of the Formula 1 season opener in Melbourne, in which Mercedes and McLaren were to participate. However, the test was canceled for security reasons.
Following Iranian retaliation to US-Israeli attacks on Iran, Iran launched missiles and drones that hit or they targeted Bahran territory, home to an important US 5th Fleet base in Manama.
According to a Sky News report, around 100 members of the McLaren and Mercedes-AMG teams, as well as 20 other Pirelli employees, is currently trying to leave Bahrain, one of the countries affected by the ongoing conflict.
Despite tensions in the Middle East, a spokesman for the Australian Grand Prix said that at the moment the inaugural round is expected to proceed as planned.
Races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are at risk of being cancelled
At the same time, there is a risk that several races in the region will be canceled this season.
Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan, not the Middle East, and those stages won't happen until a few weeks from now. As always, we carefully monitor any such situation and work closely with the relevant authorities.
As President of the FIA, my thoughts go out to all those affected by the recent events in the Middle East. We are deeply saddened by the loss of life and stand with the families and communities affected.
– Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA
The following Grand Circus races take place in the Middle East:
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Bahrain, Sakhir (April 10-12)
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Saudi Arabia, Jeddah (April 17-19)
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Qatar, Losail (November 27-29)
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United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi (December 4-6)
Next month, races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are due to take place on back-to-back weekends for the competition, but there are doubts over whether they will go ahead as US President Donald Trump has announced a “four-week operation” in Iran.
Historically, the championship was based on several circuits able to intervene in a very short time, when the situation required it. Among the most notable options are Turkey, as Istanbul Park has repeatedly expressed interest in hosting Formula 1 races again and has already shown it can return to the calendar in pandemic-affected seasons.
Portugal is another solid alternative, the circuit Algarve from Portimao already scheduled to officially return to the calendar in 2027. Also Imola remains a strong contender, having recent experience in organizing time-limited Grand Prix events.
