F1 to finish season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as planned; Imola removed as backup

Formula One said on Tuesday it will end its season in West Asia as scheduled with races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and that Imola will no longer be required as a backup. The teams were informed of the decision and Formula One said all 11 were supportive.

The announcement came from the Liberty Media-owned sport after MotoGP ran its Qatar round at the Lusail circuit near Doha last weekend. Both Formula One championships have already been decided, with 20-year-old Italian Kimi Antonelli taking the drivers’ title as the youngest ever champion in Mexico this month and Mercedes completing the teams’ double in Brazil last Sunday.

Imola had been retained as a fallback option and was pencilled in for December 6 should the Iran war and regional conflict make it unsafe to complete the Qatar race on November 29 and Abu Dhabi the weekend after. The Italian circuit, which serves as a home venue for Antonelli and for Ferrari, had a cutoff point and local organisers were informed of the decision on Tuesday.

“We are ready for Qatar and Abu Dhabi,” International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Mohammed Ben Sulayem posted on Instagram. “We are fully prepared and committed to delivering two outstanding grand prix weekends and a spectacular conclusion ‌to the FIA Formula One world championship,” added the Emirati. “We look forward to welcoming drivers, teams and fans to two iconic circuits for an unforgettable finish to the season.”

The decision means the F1 calendar will be 23 rounds and that the Formula Two feeder series will be decided on the track, with Qatar and Abu Dhabi hosting the remaining races. Brazilian Rafael Camara, who made his Formula One race debut with Haas in his home race at the weekend, leads Red Bull-backed Bulgarian Nikola Tsolov by seven points.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he planned to hold off on new military strikes against Iran for the time being after appeals from countries in the region, including from Qatar’s prime minister. Formula One said it could still cancel the races if the situation flares up, with safety a priority.

The next race on the F1 calendar is in Las Vegas on November 21. Remaining rounds are scheduled for Qatar on November 29 and Abu Dhabi the following weekend, with those events set to conclude the season unless circumstances force further change.