Formula 1 is reportedly considering three alternative venues if the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix are unable to go ahead as planned in April.
This year’s Formula 1 season gets underway this weekend, with the Australian Grand Prix again playing host to the opening race of the calendar.
But travel issues have already hit several teams and staff making their way from Europe, with key airports in the Middle East closed following recent events in Iran.
Sky Sports’ Craig Slater gave an update on plans for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, noting that F1 is hoping things settle down before they’re due to return to the region next month. But backup options are still being explored just in case.
FIA Consider Three Backup Venues
The FIA knows it can’t afford to wait too long before putting a plan in place. With that in mind, three tracks have come under consideration as possible replacements if either event needs to be relocated at short notice.
The Algarve International Circuit has been a popular option when other rounds have been disrupted, while Imola has frequently stepped in during previous cancellations. The Paul Ricard Circuit is another venue ready to host an event if needed.
Portimao, Imola and Le Castellet could step in for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix
A report from F1 Insider has shed more light on possible changes to the Formula 1 calendar in the coming weeks.
The situation in the Middle East has already started to affect F1 plans, with a Pirelli tyre test recently cancelled in Bahrain.
McLaren and Mercedes each had around 50 staff members already in Bahrain for that test, so both teams have been forced to adjust their preparations for the Australian Grand Prix.
F1 is said to be keeping a close eye on developments, with insider sources naming three tracks currently under discussion as alternatives.
Those circuits are Portimao (Portugal), Imola (Italy), and Le Castellet (France), though it’s possible there are other options also being considered.
The Bahrain Grand Prix is just 40 days away, so a decision will need to be made soon to give enough time for any replacement venue and allow teams and fans to adjust their travel plans.
On the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast, Ralf Schumacher added that both Portimao and Le Castellet would make sense as replacements if races in the Middle East can’t go ahead as planned. He explained: “If you look at which countries can replace them without much effort, then Portugal or France are two logical solutions.”
F1’s History With Portimao, Imola, and Le Castellet
Although several races have shifted dates for the 2026 season, Imola is the only one of these circuits not currently scheduled to host a Grand Prix next year.
Max Verstappen won the most recent Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, a race remembered for his early move past Oscar Piastri on lap one.
Portimao, meanwhile, is set to return in 2026 under a two-year agreement that caught many by surprise. Portugal’s history with Formula 1 goes back to the 1950s when races were first held in Lisbon and Porto before Estoril became a regular stop between 1984 and 1996.
The pandemic brought F1 back to Portugal in both 2020 and 2021 at Portimao. Lewis Hamilton claimed victory on both occasions during those disrupted seasons.
Paul Ricard was initially part of the calendar from the early ’70s through to 1990 before returning as a regular venue from 2018 until its most recent appearance in 2022. Verstappen and Hamilton are the only current drivers with wins there – each has two victories at the French circuit.
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