Formula 1 rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia canceled due to war

The war in the Middle East has wreaked havoc on the motorsport world from day one, and now it has come for Formula 1. The April rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been canceled, and it’s far too late to replace them. Industry sources estimate the overall financial hit to the industry to be north of $100 million.

I have said my piece on the overall significance of this war as pertains to motorsports, so let’s just concentrate on the specifics of each development. There is a possibility that this unexpected break early in the season could ultimately benefit the season. The new regulations and the cars they have produced — objectively awesome though they are — need a lot of work, and this will buy everyone time. The financial hits from lost race revenue are considerable, but they aren’t game-changing, and some of the savings teams will get running two fewer races might well be.

It’s just such a tragedy that this planet is so frequently prevented from being peaceful.