Formula 1 is on course to conclude its season in the Middle East despite hostile attacks in the region.
The motorsport had set Tuesday as its deadline to choose between finishing the season as planned – with races in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates after the next race in Las Vegas – or to scrap the Middle Eastern leg in favour of a finale at Imola, Italy.
But with both the team and solo championships decided, Formula 1 appears to be pushing ahead just months after the Bahrain Grand Prix was staged in Malaysia due to regional instability.
The Middle Eastern legs of this year’s Formula 1 world championship have been under constant revision since Donald Trump initiated a conflict with Iran, which in turn fired upon allys including Qatar and the UAE.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was cancelled, with the kingdom since coming under attack from rebel groups in Yemen. Fireball drones killing civilians in airports prompted the postponement of tennis’ Six Kings Slam and a number of other sporting events in the area.
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SUBSCRIBE HEREFormula 1 chiefs are understood to have told chiefs at Imola that any preparations the Italian track was making to stand in as the host of the season finale were no longer necessary.
But the season could still end prematurely in Las Vegas in a fortnight should the situation deteriorate in the region.
Mercedes won the team title at the weekend in Brazil, a week after their star driver Kimi Antonelli became the youngest ever Formula 1 champion and first Italian winner in over 70 years.
The beginning of the season saw some teams have freight stuck in the Strait of Hormuz with regional conflicts often impacting logistical supply chains throughout the season.
The 2027 Formula 1 season will begin with two races in the Middle East – in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in March – and will return to the region to close out the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.