Formula 1 Intends To End 2026 Season In Middle East Amid Peace Concerns: Report

Formula 1 intends to conclude the ongoing season as scheduled in the Middle East despite the hostilities in the region. With six races remaining, the season is set to end with a triple-header in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, with the final two races taking place in the Middle East. The status of the last two rounds had come under scrutiny due to the tensions in the region. This comes after Audi team principal Mattia Binotto stated that a final decision on the races would be taken in mid-October. "As we discussed during the F1 Commission last Monday, mid-October is the last call for such a decision," Binotto said at a press conference in Baku on September 24.

However, a report by ESPN stated that Formula 1 intends to finish the season as scheduled. It added that the sport has been in contact with authorities in both countries and that plans to conclude the season in the Middle East remain unchanged as of October 15.

Amid the uncertainty, Italy's Imola has been preparing as a backup option in case the Middle East races are called off. In that scenario, the two races would be replaced by a single event at Imola, with one race being dropped from the calendar.

The sport has now pushed back against the idea of confirming an alternative venue for the end of the 2026 season, contrary to previous reports. As things stand, the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix remain on the calendar unless Formula 1 announces otherwise.

Formula 1 had cancelled the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the Bahrain Grand Prix in April amid the conflict in the Middle East. The Bahrain race was relocated to Malaysia earlier this month, while the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was cancelled altogether.

Speaking during the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali confirmed that the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races remain part of the schedule.

"Yes, as we've already said, the calendar is confirmed: the last two Grands Prix will be in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

"This is the direction we've taken based on the information and reassurances we have, and which we absolutely must have, of course. It's the strategy we'll apply until the end of the year," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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