Formula 1's concluding rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are definitely happening, according to comments made by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to media including The Race on Tuesday. Despite a volatile security situation in the Middle East—marked by recent missile strikes sinking two container ships near the strait of Hormuz, Houthi attacks targeting sites in Saudi Arabia including Riyadh's international airport and killing at least 13 people, and violence in the West Bank—the governing body's stance has firmly settled on running the events.
The timeline surrounding these races has shifted repeatedly. Initially, the paddock anticipated a mid-September deadline to decide whether Qatar and Abu Dhabi would proceed or if the standby option Imola would be deployed instead. That tentative point of decision was later pushed back to mid-October. More recently, the expectation evolved so that F1 personnel were simply told to assume the grands prix were going ahead unless given explicit instructions otherwise, perfectly matching Ben Sulayem's current outlook.
I am happy, yes of course. Listen, I don't think the FIA staff would be more important to me than myself or my family. But if I am there it means I feel secure about this,
When asked directly if Qatar and Abu Dhabi were fine to host grands prix at present, Ben Sulayem kept his response blunt and simple: "Yeah - fine." He offered a personal justification for his confidence, pointing out that his own children live in the UAE. "You think I would leave them there and I'm here now with you?" he asked. He dismissed some of the external reporting as alarmist, stating that the reality on the ground does not match what people read in the media or see on television. At the same time, he acknowledged the limits of foresight, adding, "Does this say that there is nothing that is going to happen? I can't predict this. I can only tell you today that there is nothing and the two races are going to happen."
Questioned further on whether he feels happy and confident for FIA staff to travel to the region, Ben Sulayem affirmed his stance. "I am happy, yes of course. Listen, I don't think the FIA staff would be more important to me than myself or my family. But if I am there it means I feel secure about this," he said. He also noted that the governing body previously handled schedule alterations this year when Bahrain and Saudi Arabia called off their April races, leading to a Bahrain-branded grand prix held in Malaysia earlier this month.
While the current plan points squarely toward the Middle Eastern double-header closing out the campaign, a contingency plan clearly remains in place. When asked if Imola is still ready to step in as the season finale venue if required, Ben Sulayem confirmed, "Of course, the FIA is always ready." Furthermore, preparations have been made to deploy a secondary team from the FIA should individual governments' travel restrictions or official advice prevent key personnel from attending the races in Qatar or Abu Dhabi.
