Here's the thing: despite severe security concerns forcing significant changes elsewhere on the calendar, the final two grands prix remain scheduled for November 29 and December 6 respectively, as Speedcafe reports.
Recent attacks on commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz and strikes in Saudi Arabia have added to concerns about travel and safety in the Gulf. This conflict previously resulted in the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix at their original circuits in April. Bahrain’s event was later held at Sepang in Malaysia in early October, while Saudi Arabia was dropped from this year’s schedule.
We have also the common sense here that we will never take our staff or drivers or any officials to a place where we feel it is risky,
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday following the opening of the FIA’s new Remote Operations Centre at Biggin Hill in the UK, Ben Sulayem expressed confidence in the current security situation while acknowledging that circumstances could change. “But does this say that there is nothing going to happen? I cannot predict with this. I can only tell you today that there is nothing and the two races are going to happen,” he said. Ben Sulayem drew on his personal experience of living in the region to explain his confidence about the remaining two races. “One thing I would say, I have my children there – you think I would leave them there, and I’m here now with you?” he said. “You have to be sensible in this and saying, ‘are we going to have an issue?’ What you read in the media is actually different than we have there. We read and we see the TV, we don’t have that, really. Otherwise, why will I stay there, you know? Why would I leave my family?”
Despite his confidence, the FIA has prepared contingency measures in case government travel restrictions prevent key officials from attending either grand prix. Imola has also been identified as a potential replacement venue for the season finale should the championship be forced to abandon its original plans. “Of course, the FIA is always ready. I told them to have another team ready from the FIA if there was nothing going on. But maybe some of the governments say, you cannot travel – so what do we do?” Ben Sulayem said. “If everybody is there and then the teams are there and the FOM is running it and suddenly we say, oh, we cannot have our race director, we cannot have our stewards. You have to be ready, and you have to have another team ready in case.”
He nevertheless stressed that the safety of everyone involved would take priority over keeping the events on the calendar. “We have also the common sense here that we will never take our staff or drivers or any officials to a place where we feel it is risky,” he said.
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali had already offered reassurance earlier this month, saying the championship was working towards finishing its season at the two scheduled venues. Qatar’s Lusail circuit is set to stage the penultimate race, followed by the season finale at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.
