Bahrain's Grand Prix Ban Hits Top F1 Teams Harder Than UAE Tensions

Motorsport photo What had been expected for some time was officially confirmed during the race weekend in Shanghai : due to the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been cancelled. Logically, this has financial consequences and logistical implications for the teams, particularly as part of the teams’ freight and paddock gear is still in Bahrain after winter testing. But beyond the logistical impact, it also affects several sporting aspects.

More time, but also more costs? The effect on upgrade plans Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren First of all, the changed schedule affects the upgrade plans of several teams. That is always the case when the calendar is adjusted, but this year even more so than usual.

Under the new regulations this season will be a huge development race, with teams needing to plan their upgrades carefully. Two factors make this particularly complex and explain why teams have different plans. Some outfits already had new parts in the pipeline for the early fly-away races, while others wanted to wait for the first few race weekends to gain a clearer picture—especially because the biggest gains at the moment lie in understanding the power unit and optimising energy management.

“I think we've probably not even spoken about the car that much, because we're so focused on how to get the most out of the power unit,” Oscar Piastri said in China. Read Also: Bahrain and Saudi Arabian F1 races officially cancelled amid Middle East conflict Besides the strong focus on the power unit, teams must also carefully plan their upgrades because of the budget cap. Alpine’s managing director Steve Nielsen explained that the travel costs of introducing new parts are now an important part of the equation.