Pirelli has pulled the plug on a planned two-day wet-tyre development test at the Bahrain International Circuit, citing security concerns after a missile strike in Manama as tensions in the region escalate.
The test, scheduled for today and tomorrow in Sakhir, had been earmarked as valuable mileage for the Italian supplier as it continues its preparation work ahead of Formula 1’s 2026 reset. Wet running is notoriously hard to bank in a controlled way — even with sprinklers and carefully managed track conditions — which is why these dedicated sessions are typically ring-fenced well in advance and guarded jealously by both Pirelli and the teams involved.
Instead, the focus has shifted to getting people out safely.
“The two days of development tests for wet-weather compounds, scheduled for today and tomorrow at the Bahrain International Circuit, have been cancelled for security reasons following the evolving international situation,” Pirelli said in a statement.
“All Pirelli personnel currently in Manama are safe in their hotels. The company is working to ensure their safety and arrange their return to Italy and the UK as soon as possible.”
The cancellation follows an Iranian missile strike in the Juffair area of Bahrain’s capital, around 30km from the circuit. United States President Donald Trump said “major combat operations in Iran” had begun, with a US naval facility in Bahrain also reportedly targeted in retaliation.
McLaren and Mercedes were believed to have supplied mule cars for the session, with the running intended to feed directly into Pirelli’s wet-weather compound development. Losing two full days doesn’t just dent the data spreadsheet; it squeezes an already unforgiving timetable where the wet end of the range tends to sit behind the headline-grabbing work on the main slick compounds. There’s no neat substitute for sustained wet laps, and moving a test at short notice is rarely straightforward given freight, staffing, and the knock-on demands of a global calendar.
The bigger question now is how this regional flare-up ripples through F1’s early-season logistics and planning.
The FIA and Formula One Management are understood to be monitoring the situation closely with the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix due in mid-April. At the time of writing, both events are still expected to go ahead as planned, but the sport’s leadership is evaluating developments as they unfold.
In a statement, Formula One Management stressed that the immediate run of races is away from the region.
“Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan not in the Middle East – those races are not for a number of weeks,” FOM said. “As always we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities.”
Even so, the realities of modern travel mean F1 doesn’t need to be racing in the Gulf for the Gulf to affect it. Sources suggest some paddock personnel are already exploring alternative travel arrangements ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, mindful that many common flight routings either pass through or use layovers in the region.
For Pirelli, the immediate priority is clear: account for staff, secure their departure, and regroup. But there will be a competitive undercurrent to this, too. In a season where teams are balancing current performance with the looming demands of 2026, tyre knowledge — especially at the margins in mixed conditions — remains an area everyone would rather not leave to chance.
If the sport has learned anything over the last decade, it’s that contingency planning isn’t a buzzword; it’s a muscle. This latest disruption is a stark reminder that the calendar, for all its precision, is still vulnerable to forces well beyond the pitlane.
