F1 chiefs now considering an unprecedented calendar change after April cancellations

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Formula 1 are reportedly considering the prospect of hosting four back-to-back race weekends later in the season after it was announced that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix would not take place in April.

The upcoming Japanese Grand Prix will be the final race before an enforced five-week break in the season following unrest in the Middle East.

F1 is already considering changes to the ADUO rules as a result of the 24-race calendar being altered, but behind the scenes, all sorts of scenarios are currently being played out.

Portimao and Le Castellet were suggested as potential replacements at one point, but time was not on Formula 1’s side when it came to finding tracks that could host races in just a few weeks.

However, journalist Peter Hardenacke has been hearing rumours that the calendar might not be shrunk after all.

For the first time in history, it’s being suggested that two races could be squeezed in between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grand Prix to create a quadruple header.

READ MORE: F1 already has a cancellation deal in place for Bahrain and Saudi races, finance expert predicts

Formula 1 considering unprecedented quadruple header after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia cancellations

Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast about the situation with the F1 calendar, Hardenacke said: “The Formula 1 calendar is getting a bit thinner. So the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on 12 April and 19 April are now reportedly cancelled for April due to the war in Iran.

“Of course, there are logistical reasons for this too, because it’s currently difficult to even travel in that direction. I hear that they had been considering a double-header in Japan, so adding another race straight after the one that’s coming up.

“But the organisers haven’t managed to pull that off. It’s just too short notice to sort out sponsors, spectators, tickets and so on.

“And now, as we hear, the only option left is apparently between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the Singapore Grand Prix.

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“There’s another two-week window where we could schedule something.

“There are one or two people who are already saying it could well be that there’ll be four races in a row, meaning everything gets crammed in.

“I don’t really think so. I reckon that, given the stage of the season, it would probably cause quite a bit of inconvenience for the teams as well, wouldn’t it? Especially when you consider the strain on the mechanics and so on.”

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Saudi Arabia offered Formula 1 ‘their own missile defence’ before April race was moved

Max Verstappen has previously been critical of F1’s race schedule, and four back-to-back Grand Prix weekends, which would conclude with a Sprint event in Singapore, would be incredibly unpopular with anyone required to travel to every race.

A report from Sport Bild, as per Sport.de, has shared more details about the lengths that the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix were willing to go to for the race to go ahead.

The race in Jeddah was supposed to take place on 19 April, but fears over safety meant that the FIA felt there was no choice but to announce that the weekend would not go ahead.

They reflect Hardenacke’s information that ‘at least one of the races’ could be placed between Azerbaijan and Singapore.

The report also states that while Saudi Arabia ‘pushed’ for the event to take place, they ‘even offered Formula 1 their own missile defence system for the track.’

F1 still opted against holding the race next month despite the financial implications, although there is ‘optimism that the races can still be rescheduled – at the latest by 2027.’