Formula One recently announced the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix scheduled for April due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. However, Cadillac F1 Team driver Valtteri Bottas thinks this could work in his team’s favor.
Cadillac entered the premier class of motorsport as the eleventh team this year with an experienced driver lineup of Bottas and Sergio Perez. However, given the new era of regulations that also came into effect this year, several teams have been struggling to get their cars up to pace.
For Cadillac, F1 is a new world, and with just two races ticked off from the 2026 calendar, it will be a while before the team ups its game and develops a competitive car for Bottas and Perez. Going through a learning curve, the team needs more time and data to further improve the car.
The 2026 opening round in Melbourne saw Perez finish P16, while Bottas retired due to a technical problem on his MAC-26 Cadillac F1 car. The following race in Shanghai saw Bottas finish in P13, while Perez finished in P15.
Read More from MotorBiscuit:
- Ferrari, Bentley, Maserati Suspend Middle East Deliveries Amid War Situation
- Ferrari CEO Reveals the Real Reason Automakers Push Touchscreens – And It’s Not Because Buyers Want Them
- U.S Automakers Raise Alarm on Chinese Car Companies, Trump Urged to Block Them
Bottas believes the Middle East race cancellations would offer Cadillac more time in April to work on the car and potentially eliminate issues reported by the drivers. He said:
“I think, actually, it suits us quite well. We have more time to sort things out because we still have issues, we haven’t had a week without setbacks yet. And also more time to improve performance” [sic]
Valtteri Bottas thinks the cancellation of the Saudi and Bahrain Gp’s will have a benefit for Cadillac:
— Cadillac F1 News (@CadillacF1News_) March 19, 2026
"I think, actually, it suits us quite well. We have more time to sort things out because we still have issues, we haven't had a week without setbacks yet. And also more time… pic.twitter.com/ICg29FHT3y
F1 decided to cancel the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs in the interest of safety after consulting the FIA and the respective local race promoters. MotorBiscuit reported F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali’s statement on the matter. He said:
“While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage considering the current situation in the Middle East. I want to take this opportunity to thank the FIA as well as our incredible promoters for their support and total understanding as they were looking forward to hosting us with their usual energy and passion. We cannot wait to be back with them as soon as the circumstances allow us to do so.”
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said:
“The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind. We continue to hope for calm, safety and a swift return to stability in the region, and my thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events.
“Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are incredibly important to the ecosystem of our racing season, and I look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow. My sincere thanks to the promoters, our partners, and our colleagues across the championship for the collaborative and constructive approach that has led to this decision.”
