Formula 1is expected to cancelraces next monthin Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to safety reasons as amilitary conflict growsin the Middle East, sources familiar with the matter told NBC News.
F1 had scheduled a race in Bahrain for April 12 and another in Saudi Arabia on April 19, two mainstays on the calendar for years.
But the war launched by the United States and Israel on Iran has spread across the regionand intothosetwo countries, creating major security concerns and uncertainty about whether traveling or racing there will be safe.
The news was first reported Friday bySky Sports, which said the cancellation could be announced by the end of this weekend. It would cut the number of race weekends this year from 24 to 22.
A Formula 1 spokesperson declined to comment.
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F1 officials have beenwrestling with the issuefor nearly two weeks, since the war began. The lack of a formal decision at this time could mean they're biding time to see if the situation improves quickly. Alternately they could simply be waiting until the end of this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix to make it official.
There are no current plans to replace the Middle East races but that prospect hasn't been ruled out, sources said. That is seen as a difficult task on such a short time frame.
Failure to replace either Grand Prix would leave the month of April without any F1 races, a financial hit to the sport and a blow for its fans. The seasonbegan last weekend in Australia.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton voiced confidence in Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to make the right decision.
"I know that Stefano will do what is right for all of us and the sport," Hamilton said, according toESPN.