As the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix are cancelled, F1 fans are expected to accept a reduced calendar and move on.
However, F1 Academy has found a workaround for its calendar disruptions, so why can’t the very pinnacle of motorsport do the same?
The cancelled race problem
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were cancelled in March due to the conflict in the Gulf region.
Don’t get me wrong, the races were rightly cancelled.
Safety is, of course, of the utmost importance, and F1 races being cancelled due to the conflict is a minuscule problem when looking at the actual conflict.
However, simply cancelling races without replacements, for a sport that prides itself on global dominance, is a surprisingly passive response.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: F1 news: McLaren’s Andrea Stella ‘surprised’ by Piastri’s podium, raising hopes
F1 Academy shows it can be done
Meanwhile, F1 Academy, the female-only formula series, has been more proactive by adding replacement rounds to the calendar.
At two of their race weekends, they have added an extra race at the start of the weekend to ensure the number of races remains the same.
This new format was due to be launched in 2027 anyway, but the move to introduce this early ensures their drivers and fans still get a full, competitive season.
It’s not just good organisation – it’s respect for their championship and its audience.
And that raises an uncomfortable question: if a smaller, newer series can adapt on the fly, what’s stopping F1?
Money talks… but so should fans
The obvious argument is money.
F1 races are massive, complex, and tied to huge hosting fees. You can’t just plug in a new venue overnight.
But fans aren’t buying that anymore.
We have seen F1 adapt to cancelled races in COVID, introducing extra races at the same venues.
F1 is also a sport backed by billions – flexibility shouldn’t be this hard.
If anything, failing to replace races sends the message that once the cheque clears, the show doesn’t really matter.
READ MORE: NFL opinion: Why the New York Giants shouldn’t draft Jeremiyah Love
A shorter calendar, a smaller story
Every lost race chips away at the season’s narrative.
Title fights, midfield battles, driver momentum – all of this suffers when a calendar shrinks.
Consistency is what makes a champion, so what happens when the playing field itself fails to be consistent?
Last year, the championship was won by just two points, proving that every point lost can change the entire story.
Monday moan verdict
F1 doesn’t just need to be the best and biggest – it needs to act like it.
We have seen the sport and its calendar be agile in the past through COVID.
We are now seeing a smaller series being just as agile and responsive.
Yet, F1 appears to be doing nothing, and that’s not a good look.
Right now, F1 is being outmanoeuvred in basic calendar management by its own junior series. And if that doesn’t spark a rethink, what will?
MORE BY ELLA MAGYAR: F1 news: Jos Verstappen also fears for Max Verstappen’s future in F1
