Formula 1 is officially heading to Qatar and Abu Dhabi to close out the world championship between late November and early December, as Motorsport.com Italia reports. Months of doubt had hung over the flyaway rounds due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East. That same turbulence had already forced the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix—subsequently recovered in Malaysia—and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, leaving series organizers scrambling for alternative safety nets.
Guidance from sister series MotoGP provided an early indication of the direction of travel. With both championships now under the ownership of Liberty Media, MotoGP pressed ahead with plans to race in Qatar on November 8. That confirmation proved to be a decisive signal for the four-wheeled championship.
Once the necessary security assurances were secured, the decision was locked in. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali confirmed the schedule to Sky during the race weekend in Malaysia, where a heavily revised Bahrain Grand Prix was taking place. "Noi il calendario lo abbiamo confermato, quindi gli ultimi due Gran Premi saranno in Qatar e Abu Dhabi," Domenicali stated.
"Questa è la direzione che abbiamo preso, con le informazioni che abbiamo, con le rassicurazioni che dobbiamo avere. Questa è la strategia che dovremo applicare fino alla fine dell’anno," he added to Sky.
Even with plan A firmly set in stone, a safety net remains operational. Imola has been kept alive as the official backup plan to conclude the world championship on December 6 if circumstances demand it. Behind the scenes, work at Imola has marched on with the construction of grandstands and the setup of all necessary trackside infrastructure. Building up a venue without a guaranteed race carries clear financial exposure, but Formula 1 has committed to covering all preparation expenses should the event fall through, shielding Imola from any financial risk.
Prudence dictates having a fallback ready. If the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East deteriorates further within a month of the scheduled dates, the machine cannot afford to be caught without an escape route.
