F1 plans to finish season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite Middle East tensions

Formula One F1 plans to finish season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite Middle East tensions Earlier races this season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were moved and canceled, respectively. By James Ellingworth | The Associated Press • Published 11 minutes ago • Updated 11 minutes ago Formula 1 plans to go ahead with its season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite tensions in the Middle East. The status of the two races had been in question since the Iran war forced the Bahrain Grand Prix to be moved to Malaysia and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to be canceled. Watch NBC Bay Area News free wherever you are WATCH HERE But F1 has now dropped plans for the Imola circuit in Italy to be a backup option for the season finale, a person with knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday. F1 started making preparations with local authorities at Imola but has told the Italian circuit and the teams that there will be no race there, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither F1 nor the circuit announced the details publicly. ‘Countdown is on’ to Qatar and Abu Dhabi Separately, the president of F1’s governing body, the FIA, said “the countdown is on” to race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as preparations go ahead. “We are ready for Qatar and Abu Dhabi,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem posted on Instagram. “We are fully prepared and committed to delivering two outstanding Grand Prix weekends and a spectacular conclusion to the (F1 championship).” Ben Sulayem, who is from the United Arab Emirates, which includes Abu Dhabi, did not give any details of the preparations or security arrangements. “We are working closely with our partners to ensure everything is in place for our drivers, teams and fans,” he added. There are three races left: Las Vegas on Nov. 21, Qatar on Nov. 29 and Abu Dhabi on Dec. 6. Kimi Antonelli won the championship this month . The FIA approves the F1 calendar as the series’ governing body, but it is a matter for F1 to agree on contracts and hosting agreements. Middle East races are among the most lucrative for F1 and valuable markets for the teams and their sponsors. Formula One Nov 1 How Kimi Antonelli went from a kid hiding in a stack of tires to F1's youngest champion Formula One Sep 16 2027 F1 schedule revealed: Middle East events bring uncertainty to 24-race slate A long wait and a driver with doubts F1 dragged out the decision for months, far beyond chief executive Stefano Domenicali’s earlier prediction of a mid-September call on whether to return to the Middle East. That allowed F1 to take notes as motorbike series MotoGP — like F1, owned by Liberty Media — raced in Qatar last week. Its events went ahead as scheduled despite criticism from riders and the withdrawal of the Yamaha team. The wait also meant F1 could monitor whether the U.S. midterm elections would be followed by more intense military action between the U.S. and Iran, which has not happened. Williams driver Carlos Sainz Jr., director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, expressed doubt in F1's plans to race in the Middle East. Speaking last month ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Sainz said: “They seem very convinced that it’s going to go ahead. I think on my personal side, I’m not," adding that “we need to stay diligent, and reactive to whatever happens.” Hours later, Williams issued a statement quoting Sainz as saying: “I want to be clear that I know the FIA and Formula 1 will put safety first and completely trust them to make the right decision. We look forward to racing in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.” Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton has been racing since he was 6 years old. No party at home for Antonelli Imola would have offered a homecoming party for Antonelli, the first Italian champion in 73 years , even if wintry weather might have put a dampener on the celebrations. His hometown of Bologna is just down the road from the circuit, which hosted the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix until last year and dropped off the schedule for 2026. Racing there at the end of the season would have meant unusually cold weather for a Grand Prix, potentially with rain or snow. Copyright The Associated Press This article tagged under: Formula One