F2 and F3 determined to race in April if Middle East rounds are canceled

While Formula 1 braces for what appears to be an inevitable cancellation of its Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix in April, the sport's secondary series are demonstrating remarkable resilience by pursuing alternative venues to preserve their 2026 calendars.

Logistical choreography

According to Spanish motorsports publication SoyMotor, both series' equipment will remain in Australia for an additional week following the conclusion of the Melbourne Grand Prix, allowing FIA organizers to reconfigure logistics and identify viable replacement venues.

The F1 contrast

The divergence in approach highlights a crucial distinction: while F1 appears resigned to cancellation without replacement — a decision that would reduce the 2026 calendar from 24 to 22 races — F2 and F3 are demonstrating commitment to maintaining their scheduled number of events. Early speculation surrounding Portimão and Imola as potential F1 replacement hosts has proven complicated, with Imola unsuitable due to hosting the FIA World Endurance Championship's season-opener on April 19th.

Precedent and uncertainty

The FIA has already postponed the WEC's Qatar 1812km, originally scheduled for March 26-28, serving as a cautionary precedent. Yet the governing body's statement emphasized that "safety and wellbeing will guide our decisions as we assess the forthcoming events".

No official confirmation has emerged regarding F1, FOM, or the FIA's final determination, though a decision appears imminent given freight transportation deadlines. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia continues negotiations to retain the Jeddah Corniche Street Circuit on the calendar, though sources indicate the races' fates remain inextricably linked.

The coming weeks will prove decisive for motorsport's April landscape, determining whether F2 and F3's contingency planning proves successful or whether the entire series faces disruption.