The upcoming Bahrain and Saudi Grand Prix events will likely be cancelled if the conflict in the Middle East continues, according to a geopolitics expert.
On 28 February, the US and Israel carried out a joint attack on Iran, which resulted in the nation’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, being killed along with several members of his family.
Iran responded by firing drones and missiles towards neighbouring countries, including Oman, Qatar, Cyprus, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Israel and the Iranian-backed, Lebanon-based Shia militant group Hezbollah have also engaged in combat, with residents urged to evacuate southern Lebanon ahead of further Israeli attacks.
Advert
Thousands of civilians have already been displaced or killed since the conflict began.
Global travel has already been disrupted, with European nations, including the UK, having scheduled repatriation flights to return citizens home.
Sport has also been impacted, with the Middle East serving as a major travel route between Europe and Asia, as well as Australia, where the 2026 F1 season is set to get underway later this week.
1,000 members of staff were forced to rearrange flights, with 500 flown from Europe on charter flights ahead of the 2026 F1 campaign’s opener.
England Lions and England Women’s tours of the UAE have also been cancelled, while all sporting activity in Qatar remains suspended until further notice.
Meanwhile, concerns over the upcoming F1 events in the Middle East have also been raised, with the Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia set to take place on 12 and 19 April.
Of course, between now and then, a lot can and likely will change in relation to the conflict. However, there are suggestions that a decision on whether the races go ahead will be made by 29 March.
Speaking to SPORTbible, Professor Simon Chadwick, who has previously served as director of research for the organisers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has also advised global sporting organisations, including Barcelona, explained that there is a “real and distinct possibility that this year’s F1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia won’t take place”.
Chadwick said: “With armed conflict in the region, unless a ceasefire is imminent, it is hard to see how the races will go ahead. We’ve seen missile attacks before, specifically at the Jeddah race in 2022 when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels bombed an oil installation next to the circuit. Drivers wanted the race cancelled, though they were eventually persuaded to go ahead.
“This time, however, one imagines that the drivers, teams, personnel, commercial partners, fans and so forth won’t even travel. Once the second race of the season in China is over, we’ll probably see a decision being made. Then, after the third race in Japan, everyone will want some certainty around whether they just come back to Europe or whether they must travel to the Gulf region.”
It remains unclear whether the Middle East races will take place. SPORTbible has contacted F1 and the FIA for comment.
Luke Davies