F1 keeps Middle East finale under review

Formula 1 will wait until mid-September before deciding whether the planned Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix can be held. Qatar is scheduled for November 29, followed by Abu Dhabi on December 6, but the continuing conflict in the Middle East has cast doubt over the final two rounds of the 2026 season.

F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the sport wants to give the situation “maximum time” to develop. The races are currently scheduled to go ahead and are sold out, but F1 is already preparing alternatives should authorities determine that they cannot safely take place.

Europe would host the replacement

If Qatar and Abu Dhabi are canceled, the championship will end in Europe within the same late-season window. Imola is currently the front-runner, while Istanbul Park in Turkey and Portimão in Portugal remain possible alternatives. Both Turkish and Portuguese venues would require additional preparation to host a race at short notice, making Imola the most practical option.

A December race at Imola would bring cold conditions, with average highs of about 8°C, but Domenicali said European temperatures should be manageable and noted that they would not necessarily be colder than those experienced during the Las Vegas night race.

F1 had considered a second event in Las Vegas, but rejected the idea. Domenicali said the championship did not want to dilute the value of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which joined the calendar in 2023 and has a contract through 2037. A second race would also have faced competition from the NFL, road-closure complications around the Strip and the need for F1 personnel to return to the United Kingdom for administrative work.

“I can guarantee that we will not do any other race in the U.S.,” Domenicali said.

Malaysia fills the earlier calendar gap

The uncertainty comes after Bahrain’s canceled race was transferred to Malaysia. Sepang will host the October 4 event under the official title of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, restoring the calendar to a provisional 23 rounds.

Malaysia’s return was enabled by Sepang’s Grade 1 FIA status, its experience hosting MotoGP and its location close to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The replacement also preserved Bahrain’s commercial involvement while giving F1 a geographically logical solution between Azerbaijan and Singapore.