Bahrain test cancelled as sports chiefs closely monitor Middle East strikes and travel disruption
Pirelli has cancelled a two-day wet tyre test in bahrain as missile and drone strikes swept Gulf states, prompting Formula 1, cricket and football bodies to monitor security and travel plans ahead of upcoming races and tournaments. The moves affect personnel on the ground and logistics for teams bound for the season opener and beyond.
Pirelli calls off wet tyre test at Bahrain International Circuit
Pirelli cancelled its two-day Formula 1 wet-weather test that had been scheduled for February 28 to March 1 at the Bahrain International Circuit, saying the development testing for wet compounds was cancelled for safety or security reasons following the evolving international situation. The test had been unusual in that it planned to use sprinklers. Pirelli said all personnel currently in Manama are safe in their hotels, the company is working to ensure their continued safety and to arrange their return home, and is also arranging returns specifically to Italy and the UK. The tyre programme had involved Mercedes and McLaren personnel among others.
Formula 1 chiefs monitoring situation as teams head to Melbourne and East Asia
Formula One leaders described themselves as closely monitoring the conflict in the Middle East ahead of the season-opening grand prix in Melbourne next week. Formula One's European-based teams were set to be heading to Melbourne for next weekend's season-opener the Middle East, a routing that requires overhauls to flights. An F1 spokesperson stated: "Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan and not in the Middle East - those races are not for a number of weeks. As always, we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities. " The F1 season was listed to open in Melbourne from March 6 to 8, followed by China from March 13 to 15 and Japan from March 27 to 29. Next Sunday's race was expected to go ahead unaffected.
Missile and drone strikes hit U. S. bases and Gulf host countries, including Bahrain
Iran launched a wave of retaliatory missile and drone strikes on Saturday against United States military bases in countries that host sporting events, including upcoming back-to-back Formula 1 rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck U. S. military installations and several Gulf nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, in response to a joint U. S. -Israel offensive launched earlier that day. The IRGC vowed the strikes will continue "relentlessly until the enemy is decisively defeated, " and Iran’s armed forces spokesman warned that any base used to facilitate the U. S. -Israeli offensive is a legitimate target. On Saturday Iranian forces said they had struck a U. S. naval base in Bahrain. One of the installations struck, U. S. Naval Forces Central Command, sits roughly 20 miles from the Bahrain circuit and about seven miles from the Bahrain International Airport.
Bahrain and Saudi race scheduling and circuit contact with organisers
Calendar details in the context of the strikes include that the Bahrain Grand Prix was listed for April 10-12 with the race day falling on April 12, and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was listed for April 17-19 with its race day on April 19; other reporting noted that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are set for April 12 and 19 as the fourth and fifth rounds of the new campaign. A spokesperson for the Bahrain International Circuit said organisers are in close contact with Formula 1.
Cricket, football and wider travel disruption across the Gulf
Cricket and soccer organisations were also keeping a close eye on developments after missile strikes continued to rock the region on Saturday, with retaliatory attacks reported in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and elsewhere. Football's governing body said it was monitoring events months before the start of the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico in June; Iran have qualified and are scheduled to play two matches in the United States, in Los Angeles and Seattle. FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom told the International Football Association Board's annual meeting in Cardiff that it was premature to comment in detail but that they would monitor developments and continue to communicate with the three host governments, adding "Everybody will be safe. "
In cricket, a match between England Lions and Pakistan Shaheens that had been scheduled for Sunday in Abu Dhabi was cancelled, with the England and Wales Cricket Board saying the safety and security of teams and staff is their top priority and that England women's planned trip to Abu Dhabi next week had been delayed. The International Cricket Council, headquartered in Dubai, activated contingency plans for personnel scheduled to transit through Dubai for onward travel to their home countries, and an ICC spokesperson urged fans who have travelled to monitor advisories closely, adhere to them and consider all factors before undertaking any further international travel.
The unfolding situation is also affecting travel logistics: the Middle East is often used as a layover from the UK before onward travel to Australia, and some teams' plans for the Melbourne opener have been disrupted. Observers on the ground noted that Bahrain has just hosted two weeks of F1 testing and that parts of the Juffair area had been subject to an attack. It was also reported that Abu Dhabi and Qatar airspace is currently closed.
