F1 keeps Qatar and Abu Dhabi races on calendar and stands down Imola

Formula 1 has told the Imola circuit in Italy to stop preparing as a back-up venue for the season finale, the BBC reports. Imola had been asked to prepare for a possible race on 6 December if the Middle Eastern rounds could not go ahead.

The Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled for 27–29 November at Lusail, followed by the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina on 4–6 December. Both were on the original 2026 calendar.

F1 says it could still cancel the races if the situation in the Middle East deteriorates. A spokesperson said that if conditions developed negatively, the sport would not hesitate to act and that “the safety of everyone will always be the priority”.

The sport said it had decided to proceed because conditions in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates had not worsened in recent months. It said government travel advice allowed travel, insurance was valid and all teams supported finishing the season as planned.

However, the BBC reported that several senior F1 figures had expressed concern about travelling to the region. The Independent reported that UK travel guidance continued to warn of a risk of sudden escalation, potential flight cancellations and airspace disruption across the wider Middle East.

The conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran disrupted the calendar earlier this season. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was cancelled, while the Bahrain Grand Prix was delayed and eventually held at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit.