FIA president: Qatar and Abu Dhabi races "are going to happen"
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said on Tuesday that the final two races of the 2026 season, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, will go ahead. He argued that conditions on the ground do not match media reports, but admitted he cannot predict the future.
A season finale under a security cloud
With six races left, the calendar's last two rounds have been the biggest open question in the paddock. On Tuesday 20 October, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem gave the clearest answer yet: the Qatar and Abu Dhabi grands prix are going ahead as planned.
Speaking to media including The Race, Crash.net and PlanetF1, he said: "I can only tell you today that there is nothing and the two races are going to happen." Asked whether the venues were fine for Formula 1, he replied "Yeah - fine."
What he said about safety
Ben Sulayem stressed that the FIA would never send staff, drivers or officials to a place it considers risky. He said his own children live in the United Arab Emirates and that neither they nor he would stay there if it were dangerous. His presence at the races, he added, would mean he feels secure.
He also said the picture shown on television does not match what he sees on the ground. At the same time he did not rule out changes: he said he cannot predict what happens next and that "as of today" the races will take place.
The backup plans
Asked whether Imola is on standby as a replacement host, Ben Sulayem said the FIA "is always ready". The Race reports that the original plan was a mid-September deadline to confirm the Middle East finale or switch to Imola, which later moved to mid-October. According to the same report, the mood in the paddock has since shifted towards assuming the races will happen unless told otherwise.
The FIA has also prepared a second team to cover key roles, so that races can run even if government travel restrictions or advice stop some officials from attending.
Why the question exists
This season has already been reshaped by the region's instability. Crash.net and PlanetF1 note that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds were postponed earlier in the year, with the Saudi race cancelled for 2026 and the Bahrain race moved to Sepang in Malaysia. The reports also point to missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and an ongoing conflict involving Iran as the backdrop to the current concern. PlanetF1 mentions a strike on an Aramco facility roughly 160 km from the Lusail circuit.
By the numbers
Our data shows 17 of 23 races completed. Kimi Antonelli leads the win count with eight victories and 14 podiums for Mercedes. Abu Dhabi is currently scheduled to host the season finale on 6 December, according to Crash.net.
Before that, the series visits the United States Grand Prix in Austin, where the race starts on 25 October at 20:00 UTC. Any change to the Middle East races would need to be announced by the FIA and Formula 1.
