Drivers say Middle East finale is not theirs to decide
Sergio Perez, Alex Albon and Charles Leclerc were asked in Mexico City about racing in Qatar and Abu Dhabi after MotoGP riders raised safety concerns. All three pointed to others making the call, and Leclerc expects the topic to reach the drivers' association.
A question that follows the paddock
A week after the first doubts were voiced in Austin, the final two rounds of the season were back on the agenda on Thursday 29 October, at the FIA press conference before the Mexico City Grand Prix. This time the trigger came from another championship: MotoGP riders have raised safety concerns about racing in Qatar, and F1 drivers were asked whether they would follow their lead.
Perez, Albon and Leclerc each answered in their own way. None of them called for a cancellation, and none ruled out a discussion.
What the three drivers said
Sergio Perez, speaking for Cadillac, said that nobody knows what will happen and that the situation can change from one day to the next. The MotoGP approach, he said, looks like the right thing for now. He added that "we are not the ones taking the decisions" and that those who do decide carry the responsibility, so drivers should say little.
Alex Albon described the situation as "wait and see", with several weeks to go before the season ends. The Williams driver called the region sensitive and said the riders are right to seek assurances, though he admitted he had not followed the MotoGP discussion closely.
Charles Leclerc said the topic has not yet been discussed much through the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, but that it will probably be on the list of things to talk about as the season nears its end.
The MotoGP background
According to RacingNews365, the 22 MotoGP riders held a rare meeting before the Phillip Island round, which was later cancelled because of severe weather. The riders cited rising regional tension, including the risk of escalation in the conflict between Iran and the United States, and held further talks with team managers and series chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta. Alex Rins said the riders are "really united". MotoGP has made no official announcement.
Crash.net notes that some reports see a possible escalation after the United States midterm elections on 3 November. MotoGP is due in Qatar on 8 November.
What comes next
Formula 1 has not changed its plans. The Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled for 29 November and Abu Dhabi for 6 December. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had said earlier this month that both races will go ahead, and Carlos Sainz, a GPDA director, has said it is hard to be convinced of that. Before then, the series visits Mexico City, where round 19 of the season is on 1 November.
