Conditions in the Middle East are deteriorating, putting the Bahrain GP at mounting risk. An update on the situation in Qatar as well
The war in the Middle East rages on. And unfortunately, though clearly a secondary concern, this is having a drastic impact on the world of sport, particularly motorsport
This coming April, F1 is scheduled to visit two Arab circuits directly overlooking the Gulf: Sakhir in Bahrain (which, incidentally, hosted the pre-season tests) and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Bahrain Under Renewed Iranian Attack This Morning: The Situation
The situation, as reported last week and unfortunately growing more critical by the day, appears to be worsening. This morning, Iran launched fresh strikes on Bahraini territory, putting the nation under severe strain.
In the early hours of today, the government in Manama announced that it has “intercepted and destroyed to date 102 missiles and 171 drones launched by Iran during the ongoing attacks against the Gulf Kingdom”.
Among the Gulf States, Bahrain is currently the hardest hit by Iranian military forces, followed by Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (which hosts the final GP of the year in Abu Dhabi), and Saudi Arabia.
Unfortunately, this dramatic scenario shows no signs of a swift resolution: the war continues, and with just one month to go before the F1 Circus arrives in Sakhir, the chances of the race weekend going ahead are extremely slim.
The Situation in Qatar
Scheduled for November, the Lusail event is (hopefully) the one at the lowest risk of cancellation on the calendar. However, the Lusail circuit hosts not only F1 but also MotoGP: for this reason, Dorna’s decision regarding the upcoming Qatari race weekend between April 10th and 12th will be a key indicator.
Nevertheless, the situation is far from calm, with the Doha government announcing a military response, stating that Iran’s attack represents “a profound sense of betrayal” and that “attacking the Gulf countries is a dangerous miscalculation that has destroyed everything“.
However, new additions to the calendar are unlikely: there is a low probability of seeing European circuits like Imola, Portimão, Le Castellet, or Istanbul replace the Middle Eastern rounds (should they be replaced). We can only hope that the conversation in those countries will soon return to sports and motorsport.
Photos: Scuderia Ferrari HP, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
