Bahrain bahrain: Pirelli cancels F1 test as sports bosses closely monitor Middle East strikes
Tyre firm Pirelli has cancelled a two-day wet-weather test at the Bahrain International Circuit, and sports governing bodies including Formula 1, cricket and football authorities are closely monitoring an escalating conflict in the Middle East that has produced missile and drone strikes in and around the Gulf. The developments are complicating travel plans for teams bound for the season-opening race in Australia and have prompted match cancellations and contingency measures.
Pirelli calls off scheduled wet test at Bahrain International Circuit
Pirelli cancelled the two-day development test for wet compounds that had been scheduled for February 28 to March 1 at the Bahrain International Circuit, citing security reasons and “the evolving international situation. ” The test, described as an unusual wet tyre session using sprinklers, was due to take place before the Melbourne opener and involved Pirelli personnel who are now safe in their hotels in Manama. it is working to ensure their continued safety and to arrange their return to Italy and the UK as soon as possible. The cancellation was described as potentially affecting the start of F1’s 2026 season.
Formula 1 chiefs monitoring flights and the Melbourne season opener
Formula One leadership is among the sports organisations closely monitoring the situation as European-based teams were set to head to Melbourne next week the Middle East, forcing an overhaul to some flight plans. The championship is due to open in Melbourne, and organisers expect next Sunday’s race to go ahead unaffected. The F1 season’s immediate calendar places the next three races in Australia, China and Japan, and an F1 spokesperson said, “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. ”
Iranian strikes, targets and proximity to the circuit
Iranian forces — including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — launched a wave of retaliatory missile and drone strikes on Saturday in response to a joint U. S. -Israel offensive earlier that day. The strikes hit U. S. military installations and several Gulf nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The IRGC vowed the strikes would continue “relentlessly until the enemy is decisively defeated, ” and an Iranian armed forces spokesman warned that any base used to facilitate the U. S. -Israeli offensive is a legitimate target. Iranian retaliatory attacks were reported in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and elsewhere, and Iranian forces said they had struck a U. S. naval base in Bahrain. One installation struck, U. S. Naval Forces Central Command, sits roughly 20 miles from the Bahrain circuit and about seven miles from Bahrain International Airport.
Cricket, football and event authorities activate contingency plans
Cricket and football organisations have reacted to the strikes: a scheduled cricket match between England Lions and Pakistan Shaheens in Abu Dhabi was cancelled, and the England and Wales Cricket Board said the safety and security of teams and staff is its top priority, adding that England women’s planned trip to Abu Dhabi next week had been delayed. The sport’s global governing body, headquartered in Dubai, activated contingency plans for personnel who were due to transit through Dubai for onward travel to their home countries and urged travelling fans to monitor advisories and consider all factors before undertaking further international travel. Football’s governing body said it was monitoring events ahead 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 an international meeting in Cardiff that it was premature to comment in detail but that the organisation will monitor developments and continue to communicate with the three host governments, adding that “everybody will be safe. ”
Logistics, past security scares and local impact around Bahrain
The incident has direct logistical consequences: the Middle East is a common transit hub for teams travelling from the UK to Australia, and some travel plans for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix have been disrupted. The cancelled tyre test involved personnel linked to Pirelli and teams including Mercedes and McLaren. Bahrain had recently hosted two weeks of F1 testing and members of the paddock were based in the Juffair area, which has just been subject to an attack. Organisers at the Bahrain International Circuit say they are in close contact with Formula 1. The situation also echoes a prior security scare: the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2022 was thrown into doubt mid-weekend after a Houthi missile struck an oil facility visible from the circuit, prompting drivers to hold emergency discussions before ultimately agreeing to race. Airspace closures and regional disruption — including closed airspace in Abu Dhabi and Qatar noted by some travel plans — have added to the operational headaches for teams and officials.
