George Russell says drivers trust Formula 1 & FIA to take right decision on Middle East races amid conflict

The conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has now been ongoing for almost one week, with Gulf countries as well as others like Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq affected as well; basically, the whole of the Middle East is a war zone.

Out of the Gulf countries, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were scheduled to host F1 races in April, but it's uncertain whether those races will go ahead as the conflict continues to escalate.

The FIA has already postponed the opening 2026 World Endurance Championship round, which was initially planned for the 26th of March in Qatar, while the MotoGP race, hosted by the same country, which coincided with the Bahrain Grand Prix on April 10-12, is also not in doubt.

Speaking during the drivers' press conference in Melbourne on Thursday, Russell, a Director in the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), was asked about his thoughts about the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Russell said: "Ultimately, I think all of us trust in F1 and the FIA to make the right decision, and it's going to be changing daily, I'm sure.

"We're still four or five weeks away, so I don't think anyone is really pressing those questions because there's still a long time between now and then.

"And of course it's kind of outside of our hands. So yeah, trusting the guys at the top to make the right decision. And if we don't, I'm sure there are Plan Bs in place, but we're not asking and we trust they're on it," he added.

GrandPrix247 has recently reported that the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are as good as cancelled, with the official announcement pending. Imola and Portimão are being considered as replacements on the same dates.