The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Formula 1 Management have announced that the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2026 has been cancelled for this year.
Saudi Arabia’s sporting calendar has taken an unexpected turn, with Formula 1 confirming that the STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah will no longer take place in April. Bahrain’s round has also been removed from the April schedule, and Formula 1 says no substitute races will be staged during those weekends. The decision was taken in consultation with the FIA and local promoters, with officials pointing to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
The Jeddah race was due to run from 17 to 19 April 2026 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, one week after Bahrain’s scheduled 10 to 12 April weekend. In recent years, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix has become one of the Kingdom’s most high-profile annual sporting events, drawing international attention to Jeddah while reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s wider ambitions across sport, tourism, and entertainment.
Formula 1’s statement was carefully worded, stating that the two races “will not take place in April”, adding that several alternatives had been explored before organisers decided not to make replacements during the month. The same decision also affects the support programme, meaning the scheduled Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy rounds linked to those weekends will not go ahead as planned.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, said: “The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind. We continue to hope for calm, safety and a swift return to stability in the region, and my thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events.
“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. My sincere thanks to the promoters, our partners, and our colleagues across the championship for the collaborative and constructive approach that has led to this decision.”
Saudi organisers struck a measured tone in response. An Instagram post on the official Saudi Arabia Grand Prix account reads: “The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) express their respect for the decision, while reaffirming that the Kingdom was fully prepared to host another exceptional edition of the race following the successful staging of five previous F1 race weekends. SAMF and SMC also reiterate their full confidence in the measures and procedures in place to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, residents, and visitors, and look forward to welcoming F1 drivers, teams and fans from around the world to Saudi Arabia again next year.”
All ticket refunds for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2026 will be processed automatically to the original payment method used at the time of purchase.
For now, the lights of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit will stay off in April. Yet Formula 1 and Saudi organisers have both made clear that this is a pause forced by circumstances, with the expectation that Jeddah will return when conditions allow.
GO: Follow @saudiarabiangp on Instagram for more information.