Formula 1 confirms Qatar and Abu Dhabi races for 2026 season finale despite regional conflict

Gulf races confirmed on schedule

Formula 1 will not alter its 2026 racing calendar further and will proceed with its planned season finale in the Gulf region. Chief executive Stefano Domenicali confirmed in an interview with Sky Italia that the Qatar Grand Prix on 29 November and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 6 December will take place as scheduled. Domenicali made the announcement on the sidelines of the Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, where teams are currently competing. The decision follows weeks of uncertainty surrounding the Middle Eastern races due to the ongoing war in Iran.

This is the course we have taken on the basis of the information and assurances available to us, and which we naturally must have, that goes without saying. We will pursue this strategy until the end of the year.

Backup option at Imola shelved

The decision officially removes the Italian circuit at Imola as a contingency host for the season finale. Circuit administrators in Imola had made preparations to step in if security conditions forced Formula 1 to relocate the final events. Domenicali had previously stated that a final determination on the calendar would be made by mid-October, while maintaining that the original schedule was formally confirmed. The cancellation of the Imola backup plan also settles the title venue for championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli, who comes from nearby Bologna, is competing to become the first Italian Formula 1 world champion since Alberto Ascari won the title in 1953.

Earlier cancellations and rescheduling

The championship has already felt the direct effects of the regional conflict earlier in the season. Formula 1 previously cancelled both the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix because of the war in Iran. To make up for the lost round in the desert of Sakhir, organizers arranged to stage the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia on the weekend of 3 to 4 October 2026. Commercial agreements also factored into the decision to protect the remaining Gulf races, as race promoters in Qatar and Abu Dhabi pay high hosting fees to retain their slots. Other global racing series have taken a similar approach, with MotoGP likewise confirming that it will hold its scheduled event in Qatar.

Team preparations and logistical assessment

Competing teams are now arranging their logistics around the confirmed Gulf finale while continuing to monitor conditions across the region. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff assessed the current operational status during an interview with Sky.

At the moment all lights are green.

Wolff explained that commercial airline flights into the host countries remain operational, government travel advisories have not barred entry, and team insurance coverage remains fully intact. Wolff confirmed that racing outfits are currently preparing for the event in Abu Dhabi as planned. Despite the current clearance for travel operations, Wolff noted that conditions in the region remain volatile, requiring organizers and teams to evaluate security developments through the remaining months of the championship.