F1 issue update on cancelled Middle East races as rescheduled dates emerge

Formula One president Stefano Domenicali has issued an update on the rescheduling of the cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix.

The Middle East races were initially due to take place in April this year before both were cancelled due to the outbreak of conflict involving the US and Iran.

When the decision was made, little information was made public regarding whether one or both would be rescheduled for later in the year, with F1 returning to the region for the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races in the winter.

Some reports suggested that any potential rescheduling may fit into that period, given the location of the aforementioned races. However, as reported by Sky Sports, this is not the case.

The outlet claims that a possible rescheduling slot may be between October 2-4, between the Azerbaijan and Singapore races.

F1 chief speaks out on Middle East races

Speaking to Sky Sports, Domenicali also revealed that a decision on restoring one or both races must be made before F1's summer break following the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26.

"If there is something that we can announce, also related to the possibility of seeing if there is any space for what has not been done so far, we're going to do it, at the right moment and under the right conditions," he said ahead of the British Grand Prix.

"That is really the hope, because if all the conditions are right, we're going to go ahead with our plan. If there is a chance, why not?"

It is understood that the Bahrain race is the more likely of the two to be restored, rather than both previously cancelled events.

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He added: "I think that the gap to do the eventual possibility of doing one of the races that we have not done, we need to do it before the summer break."

Domenicali also touched on concerns that the final two Middle East races – Abu Dhabi and Qatar – may be cancelled as a result of the conflict in the region, with the F1 chief expressing hope that both would take place as planned despite previous strikes on the UAE and Qatar during the conflict involving Iran.

Domenicali said: "Our duty is to make sure we are ready to run our calendar as it is planned.

"And we are monitoring the situation because it would be an incredibly positive message for sport, and also politically, that we are moving in this direction, because if this is happening, it is something we can say is behind us."