F1 Confirms Middle East Finale Despite Regional Tensions

Formula 1 is set to stage its concluding two events of the 2026 campaign in the Middle East as scheduled, eliminating Imola as a potential venue for the season finale.

The Qatar Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix constitute the last two fixtures on the 2026 F1 calendar, yet questions persist regarding their execution given the ongoing conflict in Iran.

Since commencing in February, the hostilities have impacted adjacent states such as Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Consequently, Formula 1 has already cancelled the Saudi Arabian GP, originally slated for April, and relocated the Bahrain GP, also due in April, to Sepang in Malaysia.

Additional doubt emerged when the World Endurance Championship, another series governed by the FIA, shifted its final two Middle East rounds to Barcelona and Monza.

The Imola circuit will no longer host the F1 finale

Imola told to stand down for F1 finale

Reports indicated that the Imola Circuit in Italy, which has accommodated various F1 Grands Prix since 1980, had been prepared as a contingency for the 2026 F1 finale if the Middle Eastern events were cancelled. Nevertheless, F1 has maintained that the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds will proceed as planned.

An F1 spokesperson said: “Imola was only an option in the event we made a decision not to go to the Middle East at the end of the season and would have taken place on the Abu Dhabi weekend.

“We cannot let Imola wait indefinitely. Therefore, we have informed them today [10 November] that we will not require them at the end of the season.”

The spokesperson continued: “Nothing has negatively developed in the region and specifically in Qatar and Abu Dhabi in recent months.”

Currently, the rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are scheduled for 27-29 November and 4-6 December, respectively.

FIA: “We are ready for Qatar and Abu Dhabi”

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in an Instagram post on Tuesday: “We are ready for Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

“We are fully prepared and committed to delivering two outstanding Grands Prix weekends and a spectacular conclusion to the FIA Formula One World Championship.

“We look forward to welcoming drivers, teams and fans to two iconic circuits for an unforgettable finish to the season.”

Before this ruling, F1 had consistently emphasized that it was closely monitoring the regional situation, while teams and drivers have voiced confidence that F1 and the FIA will reach the correct decision regarding the season’s conclusion.

During the Azerbaijan GP, Max Verstappen informed broadcaster Viaplay that F1 “shouldn’t go” to countries near war, but subsequently clarified his position, stating that the sport should proceed to the Middle East “under the right terms”.

“I trust that F1 and then the FIA will take the right decision because they will have more information than us, and that’s what we rely on,” he said.