Formula 1 will relocate its season finale to Europe if Middle East conflict prevents Qatar and Abu Dhabi races. Decision expected by mid-September.
1:49 PM
Formula 1 will conclude the 2026 season in Europe if the scheduled races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi cannot be held due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali said Wednesday.
Domenicali told reporters that the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races remain confirmed for now, with both events already sold out. "For us today, the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are confirmed," he said. "By the way, they are already sold out. That is an incredible sign of how much the sport is bigger than the problem that our world is living."
However, the sport will make a final determination by mid-September on whether to proceed with the Middle East races. "We will take the maximum time for us to see how the situation will develop and we will take the decision at the right time," Domenicali said. "But of course, if the situation will not be cleared the way that we believe it should be, before the middle of September we will take the decision."
Should the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races prove impossible to host, Domenicali confirmed that the season finale will shift to Europe. "If this will not be possible, the end of the season will be in Europe, because we cannot go in other places," he stated. When asked about specific European venues, Domenicali mentioned that Imola is among the options being considered, though no final decision has been made on the location.
The Middle East conflict has already disrupted the 2026 F1 calendar. The scheduled races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which were set for April, were cancelled due to the war. F1 subsequently added a new race scheduled for October 4 to the calendar as part of adjustments to the season schedule.
Domenicali's announcement comes as other motorsport series have also made contingency plans. The World Endurance Championship has already moved its season-ending races from the Middle East to Europe in response to the regional conflict.
The 61-year-old F1 chief emphasized that the sport will monitor developments in the coming weeks before making its final call on the season's conclusion.
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