Qatar Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi finale to go ahead

The Qatar Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi season finale will go ahead as planned, Formula 1 confirmed on Tuesday (November 10), telling Italy's Imola circuit it is no longer needed as a back-up venue despite the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, BBC Sport reported.

The race at Lusail in Qatar is scheduled for November 27 to 29, followed by Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on December 4 to 6. Imola had been asked to prepare a possible grand prix on the Abu Dhabi dates in case the two Middle East events could not be staged.

F1 and FIA confirm Qatar Grand Prix plans

Imola was told on Tuesday to stand down its preparations. However, F1 said it was still ready to cancel both races if the situation in the region worsens.

"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.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the sport's governing body, the FIA, also backed the plan on social media. "We are ready for Qatar and Abu Dhabi," he wrote, adding that the FIA was "fully prepared and committed to delivering two outstanding grands prix weekends", Al Jazeera reported. His comments echo those made by F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali last month.

Why F1 decided to stay

F1 said holding the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi had always been the default option, and that the situation in both countries had not "negatively developed" in recent months. It gave several reasons for pressing ahead:

• Government travel advice still allows travel to both countries.
• Insurance cover remains valid.
• Other events are taking place, including a MotoGP race in Qatar last weekend.
• Business activity in both countries has returned to normal levels.
• All teams support finishing the season as planned.

MotoGP is owned by the same US group, Liberty Media, that owns F1.

Concerns remain in the paddock

Despite the decision, several senior figures in F1 have privately told BBC Sport they are uneasy about travelling to the region, as both venues are close to areas around the Strait of Hormuz where missile strikes are still taking place. Saudi Arabia, which borders Qatar and the UAE, also remains a target of attacks from Houthi rebels in Yemen, and several events there have been cancelled or postponed in recent weeks.

Drivers have expressed mixed feelings, with four-time world champion Max Verstappen among those who have voiced reservations about racing in the Middle East.

The conflict has already reshaped the 2026 calendar. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, originally set for April, was cancelled, and the Bahrain Grand Prix was delayed and eventually held at Malaysia's Sepang circuit in October.

There are also strong commercial reasons to keep the two races. Both host countries pay large fees for their grands prix and are deeply involved in the sport as sponsors and investors. Qatar's sovereign wealth fund is a part-owner of the Audi team, and Abu Dhabi plays the same role at McLaren.

Titles already settled

With the championships decided, the final two rounds will be about pride rather than titles. Italian youngster Kimi Antonelli has already secured the drivers' world championship, while his Mercedes team clinched the constructors' crown at the last round in Brazil, where Lando Norris won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Thai motorsport fans following the end of the F1 season can also look ahead to racing at home, with Thailand MotoGP tickets on sale for the 2027 Buri Ram opener. For background on the conflict, read our report on Trump saying the Iran war is effectively over.

The original report was published by BBC Sport.

Image: An Etihad Airways flyover at Yas Island during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which follows the Qatar Grand Prix on the calendar. Photo by Delta.jpg via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.