Formula One is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East, and any decision on races scheduled for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia next month will prioritize safety, the sport and governing body FIA stated.

Australian Grand Prix chief executive Travis Auld expressed confidence that this weekend's season-opener at Melbourne's Albert Park will not be affected by travel issues arising from conflict in the Gulf region.

The US and Israeli bombing of Iran over the weekend led to retaliatory strikes on Gulf States, resulting in the cessation of all activities in one of the world's main aviation hubs.

Formula One teams recently completed pre-season testing in Bahrain, with many personnel scheduled to pass through Qatar or the UAE on their way to Australia for Sunday's race.

"The events of the weekend have disrupted travel plans for the teams and Formula One," Auld told Fox Sports on Monday. "However, Formula One has swiftly rescheduled flights, and everyone is now locked in and arriving within the required timeframes, ensuring no impact on our race."

Races in Bahrain and Saudi in April

Following the season-opener, races in China and Japan are scheduled for March before the first of the Gulf races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April.

Qatar and Abu Dhabi will host the season-enders in November and December.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the Emirati who heads the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA), expressed his solidarity with all those affected.

"We are in close contact with our member clubs, championship promoters, teams, and colleagues on the ground as we monitor developments carefully and responsibly," he added. "Safety and wellbeing will guide our decisions as we assess the forthcoming events scheduled there for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the FIA Formula One world championship."

Formula One confirmed that they are closely monitoring the situation.

Auld mentioned that the nature of the Albert Park venue in Melbourne makes it unlikely for the city to host another race if Bahrain or Saudi Arabia are unable to hold their rounds due to conflict.

"They'll have other plans in place, as you would imagine, for a whole series of reasons," he said.

The Middle Eastern races significantly contribute to Formula One's revenues through hosting fees worth many tens of millions of dollars. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar also have deep ties to the sport, with Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund owning McLaren Racing, Abu Dhabi controlling the sportscar company, and Qatar having a significant investment in F1 newcomers Audi.

Saudi energy giant Aramco is a global partner of the sport and title sponsor of the Aston Martin team.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Formula One conducted races without spectators and has a list of circuits that could potentially step in at short notice if needed.

In 2022, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix proceeded despite rocket attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on an oil facility near the Jeddah street circuit.

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