The FIA has signalled it’s ready to make late calls on Formula 1’s return to the Middle East this spring, with Mohammed Ben Sulayem stressing that “safety and well-being” will dictate what happens next as the region reels from a rapidly escalating conflict.
In a statement released as tensions intensified across the Gulf, the FIA president said the governing body is “in close contact” with member clubs, promoters and teams on the ground while it assesses upcoming events in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and Formula 1.
“As President of the FIA, my thoughts are with all those affected by the recent events in the Middle East,” Ben Sulayem said. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of life and stand with the families and communities impacted… Safety and well-being will guide our decisions as we assess the forthcoming events scheduled there.”
The sport’s immediate calendar offers a small buffer — Australia, China and Japan come next — but the rhythm of F1’s travelling operation means decisions can’t be left until the last moment. The championship is due back in the region in early April, with Bahrain slated for April 12 and Saudi Arabia the following weekend, and the logistics chain that underpins those races has already been jolted.
Bahrain, just days after hosting pre-season testing, has found itself directly in the line of fire. Manama was among targets struck as Iran launched missile and drone attacks on US military assets around the Gulf, with Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait all affected after US President Donald Trump announced the beginning of “major combat operations in Iran”. Iran has since announced 40 days of mourning following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israel operation.
For F1, the proximity of the strikes to areas routinely used by paddock staff has sharpened the sense of vulnerability. The Juffair district of Manama — home to a US Navy facility — is also a familiar base for team personnel and media during race weeks in Bahrain, and it is exactly the kind of detail that makes the situation feel suddenly less abstract inside the sport.
The first tangible knock-on effect came quickly: a two-day Pirelli tyre test scheduled at Bahrain International Circuit, with McLaren and Mercedes set to provide mule cars and staff, was cancelled as the strikes began. Those already on site reportedly returned to hotels to shelter. They are understood to be safe, with plans being put together to get them out of the country.
Beyond track activity, the bigger headache is movement. With Gulf carriers including Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Gulf Air no longer flying, a region that normally functions as a global transit spine has been effectively removed from the network — and F1’s calendar is designed around that spine. Even for a paddock used to borderless travel and last-minute changes, the removal of major air routes forces a rethink in a way that doesn’t just affect VIP itineraries, but the unglamorous essentials: engineers, mechanics, hospitality crews, and the countless contractors who make a modern Grand Prix happen.
Formula One Management has played down any imminent disruption to the next round, noting that the championship isn’t due back in the Middle East for several weeks. “Our next three races are in Australia, China, and Japan, not in the Middle East,” an F1 statement said. “As always, we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities.”
That same tone has come through from Melbourne. Australian Grand Prix CEO Travis Auld said organisers weren’t expecting the race at Albert Park to be impacted beyond rerouted travel plans for personnel.
“The events of the weekend have certainly meant there’s been some reshuffling of some travel plans,” Auld told Australia’s Today show. “But the Formula 1 organisation are very good at moving people around the world… and we’re not expecting any impacts on our race.”
Auld indicated the scale of the disruption had been significant — “close to 1,000 people” needing flight changes — but added that freight was already in place. That last point matters: while passenger travel can be rebooked at a cost, freight delays are where race weekends start to wobble. For now, the early signs are that F1 has absorbed the shock for Melbourne.
There has also been some paddock noise about personnel being stranded in the region. Rumours circulated that Ferrari staff were stuck in Doha and unable to get to Australia, but team sources have insisted nobody rostered for Melbourne is in Qatar and unable to travel.
All of which leaves F1 in an awkward holding pattern. The next three races can proceed — likely with some bruising logistics bills and longer routes — while the sport watches the situation in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia evolve in real time. The timeline is uncomfortably tight: by the time the chequered flag falls in Japan, freight and staff movements towards Bahrain would normally be ramping up.
Ben Sulayem’s message, and the FIA’s posture behind it, is a reminder that there’s a limit to what “the show must go on” can cover when the risks are no longer theoretical. F1 has dealt with disruptions before, but the combination of direct regional strikes, compromised air travel and imminent events places the next few weeks firmly in the category of contingency planning — not business as usual.
