Formula 1 has extended the deadline for a decision on whether to race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to mid-October, as Imola stands by as a potential replacement.
Both the Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix and the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are scheduled for November, but the ongoing conflict in the region has called that into question.
An F1 Commission meeting took place this week, which involves representatives from all of the 11 teams, Formula One Management/Liberty Media and the FIA.
Teams were informed that the decision on whether they will race in the Middle East at all in 2026 will be extended beyond the original September deadline.
“I believe F1 is targeting to tell us in mid-October,” said TGR Haas F1 Team Principal Ayao Komatsu.
“We all know what the situation is, I believe that Imola is getting ready in case we have to do it.”
Racing at Imola at the end of November will see average temperatures of around 10°C to 11°C during the day, some of the coldest of the season.
Expanding on the discussions that took place during Monday’s comission meeting, Audi Revolut F1 Team Principal Mattia Binotto explained the logistical concerns outweigh the climate.
“The main challenge is more organisation and logistics,” said Binotto.
“From a technical point of view, we may normally say that during the winter time we need snow tires. But if you look at the average temperature in Imola in that time of the year, it’s hotter than Las Vegas.
“So I don’t think that’s a true concern. It’s more from the organisation and the logistics. Hopefully by mid-October, we made the right decision.”
As part of its quest to reach net zero emissions by 2030, much of F1’s equipment is also now transported by sea.
Timescales with transporting equipment by sea freight to Qatar and Abu Dhabi are complicated with the Strait of Hormuz closed. Iran backed rebels in Yemen also captured Perim Island in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait last week, another vital shipping lane for transporting goods.
This means more freight will need to be transported by air to the gulf region which increases costs as well as emissions.
F1’s contingency plans for the 2026 season finale
The commercial rights holder has been making continency plans in the background, even though F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has assured the public that both races are still scheduled to go ahead as recently as last month in a Liberty Media earnings call.
Although the possibility looms that both Qatar and Abu Dhabi will be cancelled, promoters of those races are still proceeding ahead as planned.
Abu Dhabi recently announced music acts for the race weekend, including international stars Imagine Dragons, Lewis Capaldi, and Zara Larsson.
When events are cancelled, there are always questions about who picks up the liability for hosting fees and lost event revenue.
When promoters cancel races, they are out of pocket because their contracts with F1 oblige them to pay a sanctioning fee. Those fees are forfeitted if the commercial rights holder cancels the race. Things get complicated when you consider Abu Dhabi also pays a premium to be the final race of the season.
Then there is the added fallout from hospitality revenue, trackside signage, and local sponsorships. F1 reported losses of £343 million in Q2 2026, part of which was attributed to the cancellation of both the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April.
Bahrain is hosting its rescheduled race in Malaysia at the beginning of October, with Qatar or Abu Dhabi reportedly seeking a similar arrangement with Imola.
This would leave F1 with 21 rounds, as Domenicali has confirmed that any cancellation of those races will not result in a double header for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. This is in part due to concerns from the local business community and it clashing with Thanksgiving weekend in the US.
As F1 navigates a tricky geopolitical situation in the Middle East, the importance of flexibility will be a key learning from this situation for years to come.
