How F1 Fans Can Bridge the April Gap Until Miami Grand Prix

After an action-packed start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, racing will take a break in April until the Miami Grand Prix weekend arrives on May 1-3. This gap in the racing calendar has come about after it was announced the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix would not take place in April, due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

Home Entertainment Options

Build and Create

This pause in action provides the perfect excuse to scratch your engineering itch and get building. There are countless LEGO sets that allow you to recreate cars from the 2024 season brick by brick. With an F1 ACADEMY set and several throwback classics, there is more than enough to keep you occupied for the whole month.

Stream Racing Films and Documentaries

The film that dominated last summer, 'F1 The Movie', is still worth your time and streams on Apple TV. For those seeking more content, there's an extensive watchlist including 'Senna' (Netflix), 'Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story' (Disney+), 'Schumacher' (Netflix), 'Rush' (Netflix), 'F1: The Academy' (Netflix) and 'Drive to Survive' (Netflix).

With Kimi Antonelli leading the Championship after back-to-back victories in China and Japan, there's never been a better time to (re)watch 'The Seat' (Netflix), which documents Mercedes' decision to promote the then-18-year-old Italian for the 2025 season.

Dive into Archives and Gaming

F1's YouTube channel is packed with race highlights, iconic team radios, and technical breakdowns. Alternatively, fans can treat themselves to the full experience by joining F1 TV for complete race replays, onboard action, and season reviews from the past 50 years.

F1 Sim Racing World Championship Takes Center Stage

April is also the perfect time to discover – or dive deeper into – the F1 Sim Racing World Championship. This series brings together the best sim racers on the planet, each representing an official F1 team on state-of-the-art simulators that replicate real racing with incredible accuracy.

The 2026 season features 12 rounds across four events, combining the energy of a live esports festival with the intensity of studio-based competition. It got underway in spectacular fashion at DreamHack Birmingham before moving to F1's own Media & Technology Centre at Biggin Hill for the remainder of the season.

One name to watch is the reigning champion Jarno Opmeer – the Red Bull driver is the man to beat, and with the second event just around the corner, the pressure is already building on his rivals to close the gap as he leads the 2026 standings by five points after just three rounds.

Event 2 Schedule (April 22-23)

• Wednesday, April 22, Round 4: F1 Sim Racing Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2026
  Qualifying: 17:30 (UTC+1), Race: 20:00 (UTC+1)
• Thursday, April 23, Round 5: F1 Sim Racing Gran Premio de Barcelona-Catalunya 2026
  Qualifying: 12:00 (UTC+1), Race: 14:30 (UTC+1)
• Thursday, April 23, Round 6: F1 Sim Racing British Grand Prix 2026
  Qualifying: 17:30 (UTC+1), Race: 20:00 (UTC+1)

All rounds are broadcast live on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels.

Interactive and Out-of-Home Experiences

Sharpen Your Skills on F1 25

Inspired by the world-class sim racers battling for glory in the World Championship? F1 25 lets you live out your racing fantasies from your own living room – whether you're climbing the career ladder or hunting purple sectors in time trials.

Visit F1 Arcade and Karting Venues

Has watching the first races of 2026 got you itching to try it yourself? Live the F1 lifestyle with your motorsport-loving mates at F1 Arcade in London, Birmingham or various American locations. Sim racing, food, drinks, and full fan energy – it's the ultimate F1 hangout!

A lull in F1 action offers fans the opportunity to get behind the wheel themselves. Perhaps even take it up a notch at F1 Drive, Formula 1's very own karting circuit in London.

Plan Your Next Grand Prix Weekend

Whilst racing takes a brief hiatus, there is no better time to book your own Grand Prix weekend this season! Tickets, travel, accommodation, bucket-list destinations – if you want 2026 race weekends locked in early, now's your chance.

Podcast and Reading Recommendations

For those preferring audio content, F1's three official podcasts offer essential listening: 'F1 Nation' for weekly paddock updates, 'Beyond the Grid' for in-depth interviews with F1 personalities, and 'F1 Explains' for complex topics simplified by hosts Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill.

Driver biographies, engineering deep dives, photographic season reviews – there's a whole library of motorsport stories waiting to be explored. A few sunny spring afternoons with a good F1 book is hard to beat.