Formula One has officially cancelled races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for April because of safety concerns arising from the war in the Middle East.
The Bahrain Grand Prix was scheduled for April 12, while the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix was set for April 19.
“While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April,” F1 said in a statement released Saturday.
Iran launched drone and missile attacks on both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in response to the Israel and US led war on Iran.
Just a month ago, teams were conducting testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. The races are not likely to be rescheduled at a later date, given the full F1 calendar.
The decision to cancel the two races leaves F1 with a 22-race schedule and a five-week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3.
“The FIA will always place the safety and well-being of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“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.”
There are further planned races in the region in Qatar on November 29 and the concluding round of the season in Abu Dhabi a week later. F1 chiefs remain hopeful those two races will go ahead as scheduled.
Speaking earlier this week, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton backed F1 to handle the situation.
Hamilton, who will start from third on the grid in China on Sunday, said: “I know that [F1 CEO] Stefano [Domenicali] will do what is right for all of us and the sport. That is the great thing with having a great leader like him.”
Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli will become the youngest driver in Formula One history to start a race in pole position in China after the teenager claimed victory in Saturday's qualifying session.
The Mercedes driver qualified head of teammate George Russell, who secured the all-Mercedes front row despite earlier car trouble, while Hamilton finished third to maintain his promising start to the new campaign.
Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc was fourth, while Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will line up in fifth and sixth respectively for McLaren. Four-time title winner Max Verstappen qualified eighth, nine tenths off the pace.
Antonelli has entered the F1 record books as the youngest driver to take pole position for a Grand Prix at 19 years and 201 days old. He beats another four-time world champion in Sebastian Vettel, who was 21 years and 73 days old when he stormed to pole at the Italian GP in 2008.
