"Despite not knowing whether the conflict would be ongoing by the time their event dates roll around, a decision needed to be made imminently due to the logistics of when teams had to start sending freight to the Middle East for both events. It is highly unlikely the races in the Middle East will be replaced, given the schedule at the back end of the year is tightly packed."
"It isn't the first time the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix has been threatened by regional conflict. In 2022, Houthi rebels attacked an oil depot in the city of Jeddah miles away from the circuit and days before the race was set to take place. Formula 1 opted to continue with the race weekend as planned."
Formula 1 has canceled the Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabia Grand Prix scheduled for April 12 and April 19, respectively, due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. The Japanese Grand Prix will proceed as planned on March 29, followed by an extended break before the Miami Grand Prix on May 3. The decision was made urgently because teams needed to begin shipping freight to the Middle East for both events. The tightly packed schedule at year's end makes replacement races unlikely. This marks another instance of regional conflict affecting Saudi Arabia's race, though Formula 1 proceeded with the 2022 event despite a nearby Houthi attack.
Read at www.mediaite.com
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