F1 teams to learn in mid-October whether Qatar and Abu Dhabi season finales go ahead
Formula 1's teams have been told they will learn by mid-October whether the season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will take place as scheduled, with Imola ready as a contingency venue should the Middle East rounds be lost.
The 2026 season is due to finish with back-to-back races in Qatar (November 27-29) and Abu Dhabi (December 4-6), but those events have appeared uncertain for a number of months owing to the conflict in the Middle East, which began in February.
The two events remain on a calendar that currently runs to 23 races, and Sky Sports News understands the intention remains for them to take place. Italy's Imola circuit is thought to be the contingency option to close the season if it is deemed the Middle Eastern rounds cannot go ahead — and F1 is able to wait longer before taking a final decision.
Team principals given clarity on timing
An F1 Commission meeting took place on Monday, and speaking in Thursday's press conference at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, team chiefs said they had been given clarity on when a decision would be taken.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said: "I believe that Stefano [Domenicali, F1's president] is targeting to tell us in mid-October so we all know what the situation is.
"I believe that Imola is getting ready in case we have to do it [there]. But hopefully things can stay as a baseline and we can go to Qatar and Abu Dhabi. That'd be really good."
Audi counterpart Mattia Binotto added: "We discussed it during the F1 Commission last Monday. Mid-October is the last call for such a decision."
F1 leadership: intention is to go
Sky Sports' F1 correspondent Craig Slater said leadership sources at Formula 1 itself have indicated both races remain firmly on the calendar.
"The latest information I have from leadership sources at Formula 1 itself is that they are both on the calendar, the intention is to go," Slater said. "I have been informed that, as things stand in terms of the level of stability in the region, should those events have been happening in the next couple of weeks, it would be stable enough for them to go ahead.
"There is a contingency of Imola but they do not have to commit to that to the exclusion of those last two races. So Imola will be a contingency situation if they can't run the last two races, but they will compensate Imola for any financial loss they make in getting ready for that."
Hamilton hopeful of Middle East return
Speaking in Baku on Wednesday, Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton said he hoped the sport would be able to return to the Middle East as scheduled at the end of November.
"I personally want to go. I love going to the Middle East," said Hamilton. "From what I've read, I think things seem OK out there. But I don't have all the information so I don't know what the risk levels are. But I trust in Stefano to make the right decision for the sport, but I do hope that we get to go there.
"Finishing in winter in Imola might not be the best weather-wise, and also it's a beautiful track, but it's not a track that we're going to be doing any overtaking in and the more races, the better."
What next
The 2026 season continues this weekend with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which kicks off a triple-header of races. The Baku race takes place on Saturday at midday, with qualifying on Friday at 1pm, live on Sky Sports F1.
Attention will then turn to mid-October, when F1 is expected to make the final call on the Qatar and Abu Dhabi season finales.