F1 Academy replace Saudi Arabia Grand Prix

Dubai: F1 Academy has scheduled an extra race at its upcoming events in Montreal and Austin to make up for the round that was cancelled in Saudi Arabia.

The all-women F1 Academy were affected by the Formula 1’s decision to cancel Grands Prix scheduled in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia for April, as it was due to have two races at the latter as a support event.

Montreal and Austin will now host three F1 Academy races each, rather than the usual two, to make up for the events that were missed.

F1 were forced to cancel the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which meant all support series events were also nixed.

Having held its season-opening round in China last month, the F1 Academy season had been scheduled to resume in Jeddah.

The all-female championship confirmed that it will expand its standard two-race format in Canada on May 22–24 and the United States on October 23–25, bringing the total number of races on the calendar back up to 14.

With the extra race added, fans attending on Saturday at either event will get to watch two F1 Academy races.

Saturday’s schedule will include the newly introduced “original race” alongside the reverse-grid race, while the main feature race will still be held on Sunday as usual.

F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff said: “Introducing the Opening Race at select rounds underscores our commitment to building a platform where the most talented can thrive by maximising competitive track time.

"As F1 Academy continues to grow on and off the track, I am continually looking for ways to elevate our race weekends. I’d like to thank our promoters for their support and enthusiasm for this dynamic new format, which will deliver additional on track action in Montreal and Austin and provide a compelling schedule for fans and drivers alike."

The news of F1 Academy adding extra races has left F1 fans wondering whether the main Formula 1 schedule could do the same. With the all-female series expanding its weekend lineups in Montreal and Austin to make up for a cancelled round in Saudi Arabia, it’s natural for fans to ask why F1 can’t simply add extra races to replace lost events.

However, the reality is that F1 operates on a much larger and more complex scale than F1 Academy. Each F1 weekend involves multiple practice sessions, qualifying, and the main Grand Prix, with hundreds of team personnel and tons of equipment traveling around the world. Adding an extra race to a single weekend would create huge logistical challenges, from tire and car management to staffing and safety considerations.

Additionally, F1 is bound by broadcasting contracts, sponsor agreements, and sporting regulations, which make sudden changes to the schedule difficult. Unlike F1 Academy, the main series cannot simply insert an extra race without potentially affecting championship points, TV commitments, and contractual obligations.

As a result, F1 will most likely stick with its current decision of a calendar of 22 races for the 2026 season, instead of the originally planned 24, while F1 Academy can take advantage of its smaller scale to add races and restore its 14-event calendar.