F1 to end season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite war
Formula 1 will finish the 2026 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as planned, despite the war in the Middle East.
Chief executive Stefano Domenicali confirmed the decision on Saturday, speaking to French broadcaster Canal+ at the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Based on the information available, he said, everything was confirmed for the sport to stay in Qatar and Abu Dhabi The Guardian.
The final two races are set for Qatar on 29 November and Abu Dhabi on 6 December. Domenicali said teams and drivers were being kept informed of the situation and that everything was in order. He added that 99% of tickets had already been sold for the finale in Abu Dhabi.
Doubt has hung over the finish for months. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia rounds were scrapped earlier in the year after the start of the US-led war with Iran. The Bahrain event was then moved to the Sepang circuit outside Kuala Lumpur, where it is running this weekend.
Back-ups were on the table. One option under discussion was moving the Abu Dhabi race to Imola in Italy. Domenicali had said earlier in the summer that Formula 1 could close the year in Europe if the two Gulf races could not go ahead.
A final call had been expected by mid-September. Qatar’s organisers said in early September they were still planning to host both MotoGP and Formula 1 in November, despite the uncertainty in the region.
Not everyone in the paddock is comfortable with the outcome. Max Verstappen said he would prefer the season did not finish in Qatar and Abu Dhabi while war continues nearby. The calendar holds for now.
Verstappen, for his part, will start Sunday’s race in Malaysia from pole position — first place on the starting grid — for the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix. That gives him the cleanest run into turn one, with no cars ahead to pass.
Looking further ahead, Abu Dhabi’s place on the calendar is secure until 2030 under its current contract. The 2027 schedule, already published, also closes with a Qatar-Abu Dhabi double-header in December as part of a 24-round season with 10 Sprints.
For fans, this means clarity at last. After a season disrupted off the track, Formula 1 knows where it will finish.
