“While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage considering the current situation in the Middle East,” said F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali.
F1 said the decision to pull the races for 2026 had been made in consultation with the motorsport governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
“The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind.
“We continue to hope for calm, safety and a swift return to stability in the region, and my thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events.
“Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are incredibly important to the ecosystem of our racing season, and I look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow.
“My sincere thanks to the promoters, our partners and our colleagues across the championship for the collaborative and constructive approach that has led to this decision.”
The chief executive of the Bahrain International Circuit, Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, said his organisation fully supported the decision, while the chair of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, said the organisation respected the decision.
Disruption continues across the Middle East due to the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. A fuel tank fire caused by “a drone incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport” on Monday led to flights being suspended at the major aviation hub again, as communicated by the government-run Dubai Media Office. Flights have since restarted.
