Qatar and Abu Dhabi decision could slip but Imola expected to host F1 finale

MADRID, Sept 11 : Formula One's 2027 race calendar is likely to be published next week but a decision on this year's season-ending Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix could slip to October, multiple paddock sources said on Friday.

Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali said in July that the season will end in Europe if the Middle Eastern races cannot be held due to conflict in the region and set a mid-September deadline.

That would be after this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit but the sources told Reuters it was likely to be extended beyond September to allow as much time as possible for the November 29 and December 6 races.

The usual sea freight deadlines have not applied for some time, given the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel, and everything would have to be flown to airports in Doha and Abu Dhabi that are currently open to international flights.

Both countries host U.S. air bases and have been hit by missiles and drones fired by Iran after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Formula One is owned by U.S.-based Liberty Media, has two prominent U.S.-owned teams and major American sponsors. 

"At the moment we're planning on going there because they are on the calendar," Racing Bulls principal Alan Permane told reporters on Friday. "And if they're not on the calendar we'll go somewhere else. We'll be guided by Stefano and the FIA and we're a way off yet.

"I don't know how far we are away from a sort of drop-dead date for a decision."

IMOLA EXPECTED TO STEP IN AS SEASON-ENDER 

The expectation across teams, while not voiced publicly, has been that the races will be cancelled even if local authorities are pushing for them to go ahead.

"Qatar has been safe for months now. Our airport is 100 per cent operational, including transit flights between Asia and Europe. If you visit Qatar, you will see we are back to normal life, so we're really looking forward to hosting races again soon," Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) President Abdul Rahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai said this month.

Commercial issues, many tens of millions of dollars of paid hosting fees and insurance are potential points of discussion, with some voices suggesting it might be a matter of who blinks first and Formula One wanting to do everything it could to support states that are also major F1 stakeholders.

Formula One's stance has long been that the races remain scheduled unless otherwise advised, and a spokesman emphasised that. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, an Emirati who heads the governing FIA, has said the decision will be guided by safety.

Italy's Imola circuit is equally widely expected to be the replacement, with a race on December 6 seen by some as a foregone conclusion.

Hotel prices for that date in and around Imola have rocketed on booking.com, highly unusual for that time of year, with little remaining availability despite the lack of an announcement. 

Imola is the home town of Formula One's chief executive Stefano Domenicali while Mercedes' championship leader Kimi Antonelli comes from nearby Bologna and the circuit is also closely tied to Ferrari.

Italian media reported preparations for a December race were already under way at Imola, which dropped off the calendar after last season.    

Qatar would normally follow the weekend after Las Vegas but a December date would allow teams some respite from what would otherwise be a gruelling end to the season and give time to prepare more of a show.

The weather in Italy - always a concern with the risk of rain, fog and snow at that time of year - would be little different from one week to another.  

With Antonelli already 66 points clear of teammate George Russell, his closest rival, there is a high possibility that both championships will be decided with several rounds to spare - meaning the finale could turn into a triumphal homecoming for the young Italian.

"It would be crazy to go (to the Middle East) if you don't have to," one long-standing F1 insider told Reuters while another said bluntly, 'You can assume it's Imola'.

The 2027 calendar has also been delayed by the uncertainty in the Middle East, with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia normally lined up as the opening double. Australia replaced Bahrain this year as the first race to avoid a clash with Ramadan but that does not apply in 2027.

The published calendar is likely still to have Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as the opening pair, with the races scheduled until a cancellation or postponement becomes inevitable.

Both races were called off this year but the Bahrain round has been revived as a race to be held in Malaysia next month but organised and funded by the Gulf kingdom.