Antonelli Crowned Champion at 19 After Bahrain and Saudi Races Are Cancelled

Rising tensions in the Middle East have cast a shadow over the Formula 1 World Championship calendar after two major races scheduled to take place in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia during April were officially cancelled due to security developments in the region.

In an official statement, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) said the decision came after a series of careful assessments of the security situation, with the relevant authorities concluding that current conditions do not allow the two sporting events to be held as scheduled. The original plan was for Bahrain to host the first race between April 10 and 12, followed by the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix just one week later, between April 17 and 19. However, organizers decided to remove both events entirely from the calendar without replacing them with alternative races in other countries.

Following this adjustment, the 2026 season will now consist of 22 Grands Prix instead of the previously planned number. Under the revised schedule, drivers will head to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29, before traveling to the United States for the Miami Grand Prix at the beginning of May.

Young Antonelli Claims First Victory

Before the championship moves to Japan, the Chinese Grand Prix witnessed a remarkable moment as young Italian Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli (19) claimed his first-ever Formula 1 victory, marking an impressive milestone early in his career in the top tier of motorsport. Antonelli seized the lead from the start, turning his pole position — achieved as the youngest driver to do so — into a well-deserved victory in a race filled with excitement and changing fortunes.

His Mercedes teammate, British driver George Russell, finished second, while fellow Briton Lewis Hamilton reached the podium for the first time since joining Ferrari, crossing the line in third place. Ferrari’s other driver, Monaco’s Charles Leclerc, finished fourth.

The race featured intense competition in its early stages, with the top four drivers exchanging positions several times, particularly after the Safety Car was deployed on lap 11 following an incident on track, which forced most teams to make early pit stops.

After the restart, Antonelli reclaimed the lead and controlled the pace of the race, maintaining a comfortable advantage over his closest challengers. In the closing laps, Russell attempted to close the gap and apply pressure on his Italian teammate but was unable to catch him.

Meanwhile, four-time world champion Max Verstappen endured another difficult outing with Red Bull this season after being forced to withdraw from the race on lap 46 due to a technical problem.

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