F1 chief reveals 2026 season to end in Europe should Qatar and Abu Dhabi be cancelled

Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali has admitted the season will end in Europe if the final two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are cancelled.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has already led to changes to the 2026 calendar with the removal of two Grands Prix in April.

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The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix were scrapped amid safety concerns, with the latter now being hosted by Malaysia in October.

Bahrain’s inability to resume hosting duties has pulled into question whether the final two rounds of the season – in Qatar (November 27-29) and Abu Dhabi (December 4-6) – will be able to go ahead.

Will the F1 Qatar and Bahrain Grands Prix be cancelled?

F1 chief Domenicali has now confirmed that the sport has a rough deadline in September before alternative plans are considered.

However, the Italian executive did insist that Las Vegas will not be expanded to host two races, with Europe a landing spot instead.

“We will take the maximum time to see how the situation develops; we won’t decide before the middle of September,” Domenicali said.

“Today, the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are confirmed and are already sold out.

“If the situation is not clear before the middle of September, we will take the decision.

“If the races are not possible, the end of the season will be in Europe because we can’t go to other places.”

F1’s double cancellation earlier this year was the first time that an F1 race has been called off since the 2023 Emilia Romagna GP at Imola.

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Not since the COVID-disrupted seasons of 2020-2022 have multiple races in a single season been cancelled at separate time intervals.

Where could the final F1 race be held if Bahrain is cancelled?

F1 boss Domenicali has said that Italy’s historic Imola circuit in the Emilia-Romagna region track is ‘an option, but is not defined’.

“There are some possibilities on the table, but it’s not right to make some promises; that’s the situation of today,” Domenicali added.

“I hope it will not be the case – but if it is, we’ll finish the championship in Europe.

“We would need to look at the Brexit-related documentation in the UK and then go to another place.

“The only possibility to finish in Europe in that timeframe.

“We hope there’s no snow! The weather should allow us to race in Europe even in the beginning of December.”

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F1 confirmed last Sunday that Malaysia will host a race at Sepang International Circuit from October 2 to 4.

“We are creative enough to keep the calendar alive,” he said. “This is not a long-term approach; we need to be credible and consistent.

“I really hope the war [in the Middle East] will allow us to go back to a normal situation. What we did with Bahrain and Malaysia is fantastic.

“But for me as a human being, I hope the situation will allow us to host races in the places we have selected in our championship.”