Formula 1 to conclude season in Middle East

Formula 1 has informed the Imola circuit in Italy that its services as a reserve venue for the final two races of the season in the Middle East are no longer needed. The sport is moving forward with arrangements to stage events in Qatar from 27-29 November and in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 4-6 December, regardless of the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Imola had previously been requested to prepare for a possible grand prix on the Abu Dhabi dates should the two Middle Eastern races fail to proceed. Although Imola was told to cease preparations on Tuesday, F1 stated that it remains ready to cancel the two races if the situation in the Middle East worsens.

Earlier this season, races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were cancelled or delayed due to the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel and Iran. The Bahrain Grand Prix was ultimately moved to the Sepang circuit in Malaysia during October.

"If the situation develops negatively in the coming weeks before the events in the Middle East, we will not hesitate to do the right thing and the safety of everyone will always be the priority," an F1 spokesperson said on Tuesday. F1 noted that the decision to proceed with Qatar and Abu Dhabi, which was the default plan, was made because conditions in both countries have not "negatively developed" recently.

The organisation stated that government travel advice still permits travel, insurance remains valid, events are occurring and business levels have normalised in both nations, with all teams supporting the plan to finish the season as scheduled. A MotoGP race, held by the same US group that owns F1, took place in Qatar last weekend.

Despite this, various senior F1 figures have voiced disquiet to BBC Sport regarding the prospect of travelling to the Middle East, as both locations are near areas in the Strait of Hormuz where missile strikes continue. Additionally, Saudi Arabia remains a target for attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen, leading to the cancellation or postponement of several recent events in that country.

However, there is an acknowledgment that F1 faces a complex choice. Both countries pay substantial fees for their events and are deeply embedded in the sport as sponsors and investors, such as the Qatari sovereign investment fund which co-owns the Audi team, and Abu Dhabi’s involvement with McLaren.