FIA backs Qatar and Abu Dhabi finale as F1 drops Imola fallback

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Formula 1 is proceeding with plans to finish its 2026 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi after telling Imola it will not be needed as a replacement venue. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem backed preparations for the two races on Tuesday, 10 November.

In a social media statement, Ben Sulayem said the governing body was prepared to deliver both weekends and welcome the drivers, teams and spectators. His message reinforced the intention to retain the scheduled Middle East finish.

F1’s official calendar lists Qatar for 27–29 November and Abu Dhabi for 4–6 December. Before those events, the championship visits Las Vegas on 19–21 November, using the host city’s local dates. The three rounds complete the remaining schedule.

Imola had been kept available to stage a race in the first week of December if the regional situation prevented the planned finale. Circuit organisers were told on Tuesday that the Italian venue would not be required as the deadline for a decision passed.

The uncertainty follows disruption earlier in the season. The conflict in the Middle East forced changes to April’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds. Bahrain’s race was subsequently held in Malaysia in October, while Saudi Arabia’s was cancelled, leaving a 23-round championship rather than the original 24.

The latest decision remains subject to circumstances in the region. F1 president Stefano Domenicali has made safety the priority, and the sport could still cancel races if conditions deteriorate. Standing down Imola therefore confirms the current plan rather than guaranteeing that both events will take place.

The final stretch follows Mercedes’ championship double: Kimi Antonelli secured the drivers’ title in Mexico City, and the team clinched the constructors’ crown in Brazil.