Australian Grand Prix to go ahead as CEO addresses Middle East travel fears

Australian Grand Prix CEO Travis Auld has insisted the F1 2026 season opener will go ahead as planned despite escalating conflict in the Middle East disrupting global travel.

Escalating Middle East tensions have threatened the start of the Formula 1 championship, forcing Pirelli to cancel a tyre test in Bahrain, casting doubt over safe travel from Europe to Australia and also raising questions about whether the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix will go ahead.

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Tensions within the Middle East escalated this week as Iran, Israel and the United States went to war, resulting in the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, targeting Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

The escalating adversity has seen airspaces in the region closed while drones hit Bahrain’s airport and hotels in the Middle East. Several other airports have also closed down.

It has raised questions about whether the Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for 12 April, will go ahead, with Saudi Arabia scheduled just a week later.

A statement from Formula One Management to PlanetF1.com outlined: “Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan not in the Middle East – those races are not for a number of weeks.

“As always we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities.”

The tensions, though, have also cast doubts over the Australian Grand Prix with teams needing to fly from Europe to Melbourne for the event.

While much of the freight was already in-flight in the days after the final post-season Bahrain test, Fred Vasseur revealed Ferrari’s engines would be in transit 48 hours after Friday’s running concluded, the safety of personnel is now the big question.

Australian GP CEO Travis Auld told the Today show from Albert Park on Monday morning that he does not foresee any issues.

“The events of the weekend have certainly meant there’s been some reshuffling of some travel plans,” Auld said.

“But the Formula 1 organisation are very good at moving people around the world.

“That’s what they do. And so they’ve been able to do that and we’re not expecting any impacts on our race.”

“A lot of this is done by Formula 1. So you’re talking about teams, drivers, Formula 1 personnel,” he continued.

“I’m guessing there’d be close to 1,000 people that would have already booked their flights and would be landing somewhere between sort of today, tomorrow, and Wednesday.

“So they had to all be changed.

“But they’ve been able to sort it out, is the important part. All the freight is here and ready to go,” he said.

“And so we’re in a space where we’re really confident there’ll be no impact.”

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He revealed in a further press conference: “The last 48 hours have required some reshuffling of flights. That’s largely Formula 1’s responsibility.

“They take charge of making sure the teams and drivers and personnel can get here. My understanding from talking to them as recently as this morning is that is locked in

“There’s a bit of everything. Some drivers are already here, some team members, but there are a number that are in the UK that broadly throughout Europe. So that’s been a process for them and a lot on work on their behalf.”

“I would say based on previous years that everyone will be here by Wednesday. Everyone who needs to be here will be here, there will be no impact on the race or the event in anyway.”

“We’ll see them all arrive on time.”

This isn’t the first time Formula 1 has had to face adversity with Covid-19 bringing the 2020 Australian Grand Prix to a halt just hours before the start of FP1 on the Friday.

During the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, a missile strike hit an Aramco facility near the Jeddah circuit while cars were on track for opening practice.

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