Hamilton wants Qatar-Abu Dhabi finale as F1 holds Imola back-up

Lewis Hamilton wants Formula 1 to finish the 2026 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as planned.

The Ferrari driver spoke ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, scheduled for 25-27 September. He said he hopes the championship concludes with those two Middle East rounds and that he trusts chief executive Stefano Domenicali to make the right decision on racing there.

Formula 1 is pressing ahead with its original plan to end the year in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite the war in the Middle East, The Guardian. The sport also holds a back-up option. If both races cannot go ahead, the finale would switch to Imola in Italy.

Nine races remain, and the title maths is tightening. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli leads teammate George Russell by 81 points. Hamilton arrives in Baku third in the standings, 101 points off the pace, according to pre-race statistics, Reuters.

Every point counts from here. A single win pays 25 points, so an 81-point gap is large but not safe with nine weekends still to play.

The calendar has already been reshaped once by the conflict. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were called off in March because of the war in the Middle East. Bahrain was then rescheduled to take place at Sepang in Malaysia.

Qatar and Abu Dhabi were listed as the closing rounds when the 2026 calendar was announced by the FIA and Formula 1, FIA. Keeping them would preserve the planned finish to a long season that has had to adapt.

There is also a commercial reason to protect the schedule. Formula 1 must deliver at least 23 races to meet its commitments to broadcasters. The contracts around cancellation are stark: if race promoters cancel, they remain liable for the race fee payable to F1, while if F1 cancels the fees do not have to be paid.

The uncertainty has already touched the show around the racing. Singer Zara Larsson has confirmed she will not perform at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after being announced among acts including the Script, Imagine Dragons and Lewis Capaldi.

For fans, this means two stories to follow in Baku. One is on track, with Antonelli defending a healthy lead over Russell and Hamilton chasing from third. The other is off it, with the season’s final destination still to be settled.