F1’s teams understand they will learn in mid-October whether the season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will take place as scheduled.
The 2026’s season is due to finish with a back-to-back races in Qatar (November 27-29) and Abu Dhabi (December 4-6) but those events have appeared uncertain for a number of months owing to the conflict this year in the Middle East, which started in February.
The two events remain on the calendar, with currently runs to 23 races, with Sky Sports News understanding that the intention remains for them to take place. Italy’s Imola circuit is thought to be the contingency option to close the season if it is deemed that the Middle Eastern rounds cannot go ahead, with F1 able to wait longer before a final decision is taken.
An F1 Commission meeting took pace on Monday and, speaking in Thursday’s press conference at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, team chiefs said they had been given clarity on when a decision would be taken by.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said: “I believe that Stefano [Domenicali, F1’s president] is targeting to tell us in mid-October so we all know what the situation is.
“I believe that Imola is getting ready in case we have to do it [there].
“But hopefully things can stay as a baseline and we can go to Qatar and Abu Dhabi. That’d be really good.”
Audi counterpart Mattia Binotto added: “We discussed it during the F1 Commission last Monday. Mid-October is the last call for such a decision.”
What’s the latest on Qatar and Abu Dhabi GPs?
Sky Sports’ F1 correspondent Craig Slater:
“The latest information I have from leadership sources at Formula 1 itself is that they are both on the calendar, the intention is to go.
“I have been informed that, as things stand in terms of the level of stability in the region, should those events have been happening in the next couple of weeks, it would be stable enough for them to go ahead. The situation would be that unless there is a deterioration again then those races would be going ahead.
“There is a contingency of Imola but they do not have to commit to that to the exclusion of those last two races. So Imola will be a contingency situation if they can’t run the last two races, but they will compensate Imola for any financial loss they make in getting ready for that.
“Mid-October is the teams’ understanding that they will get some kind of clarification on that matter, so we will have to watch this space to a degree.”
‘I do hope that we get to go there’ – Hamilton keen on Middle East return
Speaking in Baku on Wednesday, Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton said he hoped the sport was able to return to the Middle East as scheduled at the end of November,
“I personally want to go. I love going to the Middle East,” said Hamilton.
“From what I’ve read, I think things seem OK out there. But I don’t have all the information so I don’t know what the risk levels are. But I trust in Stefano to make the right decision for the sport, but I do hope that we get to go there.
“Finishing in winter in Imola might not be the best weather-wise, and also it’s a beautiful track, but it’s not a track that we’re going to be doing any overtaking in and the more races, the better.”
Sky Sports F1’s Azerbaijan GP live schedule
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Friday September 25
5.10am: F2 Sprint*
9.15am: Azerbaijan GP Practice Three (session starts at 9.30am)*
11.10am: F2 Feature Race 1*
12.30pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying build-up*
1PM: AZERBAIJAN GP QUALIFYING*
3pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Saturday September 26
7.55am: F2 Feature Race 2
10.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan GP build-up*
12PM: THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX*
2pm: Chequered Flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction*
3pm: Ted’s Notebook*
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Racing on a Saturday! The 2026 Formula 1 season continues live on Sky Sports F1 this week as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicks off a triple-header of races, with the Baku race taking place on Saturday at midday. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime