F1 sticks with Qatar and Abu Dhabi finale as mid-October deadline passes and Imola waits

Formula 1's 2026 season is still set to finish in the Middle East. The mid-October date that teams had called the "last call" for moving the finale has passed, and the calendar is unchanged. On 20 October, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix will take place. Imola is still being prepared as a contingency, and fresh government travel advice for the Gulf means teams are planning for both outcomes.

Where things stand

Qatar is scheduled for 27-29 November at Lusail and Abu Dhabi for 4-6 December at Yas Marina. Both follow the Las Vegas round. The Middle East conflict has already reshaped the calendar. The Saudi Arabian and Bahrain rounds were called off in April. Bahrain's event was later moved to Sepang, which brought F1 back to Malaysia earlier this month as the "Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia." The Saudi race was cancelled outright.

At the Baku round in late September, Audi team principal Mattia Binotto said mid-October was the last point to decide, because switching to a European finale needs a long logistics lead time. That point has now passed without an announcement. According to reports, F1 sees the published calendar as its answer and does not plan a separate confirmation if the races go ahead. Abu Dhabi promoter Ethara said last week that nothing had changed on its side.

Ben Sulayem: the races "are going to happen"

Ben Sulayem said both Gulf races will be held and argued that the region is less risky than media coverage suggests. He also said he cannot predict what will happen. The FIA says it has backup personnel ready in case of a late venue change or a change in government travel advice.

He spoke as Houthi missile attacks on Saudi targets, including an Aramco site, continue to drive security concerns. On 19 October the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advised British nationals in Qatar and the UAE to prepare for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruption. RacingNews365 reported that F1's travel planning takes this kind of guidance into account.

Verstappen clarifies his stance

Max Verstappen also addressed the issue this week. In September he told Viaplay that F1 should not go to the region while neighbouring countries were in conflict. He has now said he never threatened to skip Qatar or Abu Dhabi. He said he is happy to race there "under the right terms," and that he trusts F1 and the FIA to make the decision because they have more information than the drivers.

In the support series, Formula 2 chief executive Bruno Michel said he does not expect F2's final rounds in the Gulf to be cancelled.

Imola on standby, and what it would mean

Imola has been cleared to prepare grandstands and infrastructure, with F1 covering the costs even if the venue is never used. If plans changed, one race at Imola would most likely replace both Gulf events. It would be the first European season finale since Jerez in 1997. Reports suggest a late call could still come as late as mid-November.

Any change would also affect the title fight. After Singapore, Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' standings on 340 points, 102 ahead of Mercedes team-mate George Russell. There are no sprints left this season, so six grands prix offer up to 150 points. Dropping one race would cut that to 125, which would make Antonelli's position even stronger.

Key takeaways

• The mid-October "last call" has passed, and Qatar (27-29 Nov) and Abu Dhabi (4-6 Dec) remain on the 2026 calendar.
• FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said on 20 October that both races will take place, while saying he cannot predict events.
• UK travel advice issued on 19 October warns of possible flight disruption in Qatar and the UAE.
• Imola is still being prepared as a backup and would host the first European finale since 1997 if it were used.
• Losing a round would cut the maximum points left from 150 to 125, with Antonelli leading Russell by 102.

FAQ

Q: Are the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix confirmed? A: They remain on the official calendar, and the FIA president said on 20 October that they will go ahead. F1 has not ruled out a late change, and Imola is on standby.

Q: Why did Formula 1 race at Sepang this season? A: The Bahrain round was moved because of the Middle East conflict and was held at Sepang, Malaysia, earlier in October.

Q: What happens to the championship if a Gulf race is cancelled? A: With no sprints left, each lost grand prix takes 25 points out of the maximum available. That would help the leader, Kimi Antonelli, who is 102 points clear.

Sources: PlanetF1, RacingNews365, GPFans, Read Motorsport, The Race, IANS