Formula 1 (F1) still intends to close the season with two races in the Middle East, sources have told ESPN. However, no announcement to say as much appears to be forthcoming.
The current calendar ends with a triple-header of Las Vegas (November 22), Qatar (November 29), and Abu Dhabi (December 6). But the final two races have been in doubt because of ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, which saw April’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix cancelled and the Bahrain Grand Prix relocated to Malaysia.
F1 told its 11 teams last month that an official call would be made by mid-October. Audi team principal Mattia Binotto confirmed on Sept. 24 that “mid-October is the last call for such a decision.”
As of October 15, sources said, the sport plans to continue with the Qatar-Abu Dhabi leg as normal, having stayed in regular contact with relevant authorities in both countries.
Imola on Standby
Still, there is a Plan B. Imola has been constructing grandstands in preparation for a stand-in appearance, and F1 sources said the championship could deviate from the Middle East to the Italian venue as late as mid-November.
What F1 will not do, it seems, is officially confirm where the season will finish, contrary to previous quotes and reports. The official line is that the calendar will finish as scheduled unless stated otherwise.
That sits awkwardly with what Stefano Domenicali said in Malaysia. “The calendar is confirmed: the last two Grands Prix will be in Qatar and Abu Dhabi,” he said. F1 later clarified the word “confirmed,” insisting the situation was still fluid and the final two races were not set in stone.
Teams, according to well-placed sources, are finding the situation confusing as they try to make logistical plans.
A Farcical Scenario
A cancellation could create a farcical situation if it came at the wrong time. Should F1 need to cancel the final two races and turn it into the singular finale before Kimi Antonelli has wrapped up the championship, he could be confirmed champion via press release, as there would be 25 fewer points available for anyone to catch him.
An Imola race would satisfy F1’s commercial agreement with the teams and global broadcast partners that a season cannot drop below 22 races. The calendar sat at 24 races before the cancellations at the start of the year. That is why it was so important that Bahrain rearranged its own race in Malaysia, ensuring only one of the final two would need replacing should F1 make that call.
