Formula 1 will finish this season in Europe, and nowhere else, if Qatar and Abu Dhabi cannot go ahead as planned.
Stefano Domenicali, President and Chief Executive Officer of F1, confirmed the fallback on a media call on Wednesday morning, although a final decision is due no earlier than mid-September.
Both rounds remain on the calendar for now and are already sold out but the region’s ongoing instability means neither is guaranteed.
F1’s calendar has already been cut once this year, from 24 rounds to 22, after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were both postponed because of the war involving Iran.
“For us today, the race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are confirmed, by the way they are already sold out, that is an incredible sign of how much the sport is bigger than the problem,” Domenicali said.
“But I just want to confirm to you that if this will not be possible, the end of the season will be in Europe, because we cannot go in other places.
“I know that for example WEC (Word Endurance Championship) has announced that they will not go at the end of the year in the Middle East and will stay in Europe.”
The Bahrain precedent
Moving a race at the end of the season would not be the first improvisation F1 has made this year.
Bahrain’s own Grand Prix, cancelled earlier in the season, was rebuilt as the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, keeping its branding and title sponsorship intact despite running more than 6,000 kilometres from home.
Domenicali pointed to that arrangement directly when asked whether a similar model could apply if Abu Dhabi or Qatar move to Europe.
“I mean, what we did with Bahrain and Malaysia was fantastic, because we really want the Bahrain Grand Prix to be part of it,” he told reporters, including Sector.
“But I don’t think that this could be a long-term approach, because we need to be credible and consistent.
“I do believe, and I really hope, that the situation of the world will allow us to go back to a normal situation, where all around the place, in the right country, in which we would like to host the Grand Prix.”
No Vegas double-header
A double-header in Las Vegas was explored as an alternative to a European finale, before being rejected on commercial grounds.
“There was a possibility of having two races in Las Vegas, but we don’t want to ruin, let me put it in this word, a jewel that is growing by undervaluing what we are doing there,” Domenicali said.
“We don’t have to forget that in that period of the year we are fighting the U.S. against the NFL. That is a major sport that a lot of fans are watching.
“Definitely, I can guarantee to you that we will not do any other race in the U.S.”
No weather worries
The fascinating side is that if I look at the statistics of the temperature in Europe at that time, it is less cold than Las Vegas average temperature when we are racing,
Stefano Domenicali
A European finale in late autumn or early winter raises an obvious question over conditions, but Domenicali dismissed it as a lesser issue than the destination itself.
“The fascinating side is that if I look at the statistics of the temperature in Europe at that time, it is less cold than Las Vegas average temperature when we are racing,” he said.
“I think that the weather should allow us to race in Europe even at the beginning of December.”
Imola has been floated as one possible venue, though Domenicali stopped short of confirming it. “Imola is in the basket, but it’s not defined as Imola,” he said.
24 races in ’27
Asked separately about the shape of next year’s calendar, with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia so early in the yar, Domenicali confirmed F1 is holding firm on 24 races regardless of how the Middle East situation develops.
“We have different plans with different options ready in place that will accommodate the fact that we will keep in any case the target of 24 grand prix also for next year,” he said.
