Mike Krack says media coverage is fuelling unnecessary fear over F1’s Middle East races

Mike Krack has criticised media coverage of uncertainty over Formula 1’s planned closing races in the Middle East, saying it is creating unnecessary fear and distraction. He acknowledged that some reports are accurate and others less serious, and argued that shocking or threatening stories attract clicks.

Amid continuing instability in the Middle East, F1 was scheduled to end the 2026 season with races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi in late November and early December. When Krack spoke ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix, F1 had not definitively confirmed whether those races would go ahead or whether the season would instead finish in Imola.

Krack, Aston Martin’s chief trackside engineering officer, said logistics and parts were manageable; the remaining issue was getting personnel to the region. Families of team members were asking questions, he said, and Aston Martin could not always offer complete reassurance because the team itself did not know what would happen.

He said F1 and the FIA had better information than Aston Martin and backed them to make the right decision, adding that he would be surprised if they took risks.

The 2026 calendar had already been altered: the Bahrain Grand Prix was moved to Malaysia, while the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was cancelled.