- F1 chiefs are confident this weekend’s race in Melbourne will be unaffected
- FIA boss Ben Sulayem confirms any decision will prioritise “safety and wellbeing”
Formula One has said it is “closely monitoring” the situation in the Middle East ahead of upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Missile strikes continue to rock the region after United States and Israeli forces attacked Iran with several countries closing their airspace.
A number of Formula One’s vast travelling circus were scheduled to head to Australia for next weekend’s opening race via the Middle East, with some now having to reroute their flights.
It is understood Formula One chiefs are confident the season-opener in Melbourne a week on Sunday will be unaffected.
However, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are due to host the fourth and fifth rounds of the new campaign on 12th April and 19th April, respectively.
A Formula One spokesperson said: “Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan and not in the Middle East – those races are not for a number of weeks.
“As always, we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities.”
Last summer, the Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali admitted the sport had a contingency plan in place for the final two rounds of the season – in Qatar on 30th November and in Abu Dhabi a week later – amid political tensions in the Middle East.
Both races went ahead as planned.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), has confirmed that any decision on the races will focus on safety and wellbeing for both Formula One and the World Endurance Championship (WEC), which begins its 2026 season in Qatar in two weeks.
“At this moment of uncertainty, we hope for calm, safety, and a swift return to stability,” he said. “Dialogue and the protection of civilians must remain priorities
“Safety and wellbeing will guide our decisions as we assess the forthcoming events scheduled there for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the FIA Formula One World Championship.”
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