The Azerbaijan Grand Prix could be the next F1 race under threat after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

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The status of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is uncertain after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled, according to Julianne Cerasoli.

As expected, F1 confirmed last weekend that the Middle Eastern doubleheader would not take place next month amid the ongoing conflict in the region. There had been rumours that circuits in Europe could step in, but this will not be the case.

F1 stands to lose £100m in hosting fees, but replacement venues would struggle to make a significant contribution at such short notice. In the end, cutting the calendar to 22 races was seen as more commercially viable despite the long gap in the season.

F1 calendar still not guaranteed to hit 22 races amid Azerbaijan uncertainty

F1’s statement did not explicitly cancel Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, instead simply confirming they will not be held in April, but Liberty Media are not planning to find a new date.

There could be a gap in the calendar in September if the Azerbaijan GP, scheduled for 26 September, can’t go ahead. As Cerasoli explained to UOL Esporte, its proximity to Iran has raised doubts.

Baku itself hasn’t been affected by drone strikes, but there will clearly be concerns about travelling so close to the conflict if it’s still ongoing at that stage. There are two-week breaks on either side of the race, but it’s difficult to see how a Grand Prix in the Gulf would be seen as a safer alternative.

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Cerasoli said: “Formula 1 made this decision: we’re not going to do it now, but we’re not ruling out the possibility that these races could be held.

“But the idea is not about setting new dates for these races. Rather, it’s about what to do if we have to cancel another race for another reason.

“The main thing that’s shaking things up for the Azerbaijan GP, which is in September, is that Azerbaijan borders Iran.”

What about Qatar and Abu Dhabi?

As reported over the weekend, F1 bosses are currently relaxed about the season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, even though they are much closer to the centre of the war. Time is at least on their side in this case.

MotoGP was scheduled to race in Qatar in April, but they have moved the race to the first weekend in November, three weeks before F1 is due to visit.

The worst-case scenario is that all four Middle Eastern races are cancelled, along with Azerbaijan. That would leave the calendar at 17 events, tying 2020 for the shortest campaign of the past 20 years.

“I know that [F1 CEO] Stefano [Domenicali] will do what is right for all of us and the sport,” seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton said last weekend, via ESPN. “That is the great thing with having a great leader like him.”