Formula 1 teams, including Mercedes, McLaren, and Pirelli, are facing serious difficulties in Bahrain due to political instability and recent attacks in the country. Originally, a tire testing session was scheduled, but tensions rose after an initial attack by Iran on Bahrain, resulting in the closure of the country’s airspace and the disruption of air traffic across much of the region.
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At the moment, teams are working intensely to evacuate their employees, but for now, all attempts have failed. According to sources involved in the operations, the priority is the repatriation of team members, but measures are being kept secret for security reasons.
Meanwhile, Mercedes, McLaren, and Pirelli are trying to evaluate all options to ensure their employees can be sent to Australia, where the first GP of 2026 will take place, but due to the current situation, leaving Bahrain is not an immediate possibility. It is important to highlight that, so far, local authorities are not prioritizing the departure of F1 personnel.
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The main question now is when Bahrain’s airspace will be reopened and when airlines will be able to resume flights to the country. Some Middle Eastern media outlets indicate that the return of flights may only occur after March 07, although there is still no confirmation.
For now, all team members, including some drivers, are safe, being kept in their hotels while waiting for a solution. Nyck de Vries, who was scheduled to participate in the tests with McLaren, shared updates on social media about his routine, including gym activities, taking advantage of the unexpected free time.
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