F1’s stance on scrapping Grand Prix as two replacement options emerge for FIA | F1 | Sport

Bahrain was affected by Iran’s retaliatory strikes on American military bases in the Gulf region, causing the race to be shelved due to safety concerns. It later emerged that F1 bosses were looking to reschedule the event in October to avoid missing out on Bahrain altogether.

However, Express Sport understands that no final decision has been made, despite other reports claiming that the plan to reschedule the race has been scrapped.

Those in power had reportedly been optimistic about finding another slot after it looked like hostilities had cooled between the United States and Iran. However, military action has since resumed, complicating matters somewhat.

We understand that F1 bosses are taking their time when it comes to a potential new date for the Bahrain Grand Prix. The original decision to postpone the race was only made a few weeks in advance, so there is still room for things to change.

It is far from certain that peace will be restored by October, with the situation in the Middle East still wildly unpredictable.

Four years ago, organisers agreed a long-term extension to keep the Bahrain Grand Prix on the F1 calendar until at least 2036. As a result, the race will almost certainly return to the schedule in 2027 if rescheduling it for later this year proves impossible.

The war in the Middle East could also have implications for the Qatar Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which are expected to take place towards the end of the season.

If the races are cancelled further down the line, it’s claimed by GPBlog that replacement events could be staged at Portimao and Baku.

However, with the decisions set to be postponed for as long as possible, there is every chance that F1 will go racing in Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the latter stages of the campaign.