FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says Formula 1 must not “jump the gun” by prematurely cancelling the Qatar and Abu Dhabi grands prix amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States.
The motorsport boss insisted, however, that teams and drivers would not be put “at risk” of being caught up in the regional conflict.
Formula 1 is scheduled to end its season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi on 29 November and 6 December respectively, but the ongoing US-Iran war has plunged both into doubt.
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Italy’s Imola circuit has been teed up as a replacement on 6 December should the Middle Eastern rounds be called off. A decision is expected before the end of September, by which time sea freight will have to have been dispatched for the final races.
The World Endurance Championship has already called off its final rounds in Qatar and Bahrain, which were scheduled in late October and early November.
MotoGP has reportedly decided to cancel the Qatar Motorcycle Grand Prix scheduled for 8 November, though the series has yet to confirm the move. MotoGP and Formula 1 share Liberty Media as a parent company.
Formula 1, however, insists it has no intention to change tack, with Stefano Domenicali saying late last month that “the calendar is confirmed” — though his comments are better read to mean that the decision to call off the races has not yet been made.
Ben Sulayem, an Emirati from Dubai, echoed those sentiments, telling Associated Press that the situation remains “business as usual” for now.
“We are not changing anything unless we have to,” he said.
“Being from that part of the world, we can’t jump the gun and just say, ‘That’s it, we are cancelling’ and then cancel.
“Are we going to allow our people, our staff, the drivers or the teams to go at risk? No, of course not. We will not.
“But we’ll have also to listen to the governments and to the local promoter there.
“The wellbeing of my family being there and the UAE nationals and everyone that lives there comes as a priority.”
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Neighbouring races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were called off in April following the US and Israeli airstrikes that sparked the conflict.
There had been optimism in F1 circles that Bahrain could be rescheduled following a June peace agreement, but the truce broke down shortly before a new date was reportedly set to be announced.
Instead Bahrain is funding the return of the Malaysian Grand Prix on 4 October, between races in Azerbaijan and Singapore.
The race will be known as the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia in recognition of the Middle Eastern kingdom’s backing.
The addition of the event in Sepang, around 50 kilometres south of capital Kuala Lumpur, brings the calendar to 23 rounds.
It ensures the season will feature at least 22 grands prix even if Qatar and Abu Dhabi are replaced by a single event in Italy. Reports suggest F1 is contractually obliged to television broadcasters to hold at least 22 races each year.
Uncertainty over this year’s final races has also delayed the announcement of the 2027 calendar, with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia pencilled in to start the new season.
Formula 1 is reportedly preparing alternative schedules, however, should the conflict prevent racing in the region into next year, with China in pole position to open the campaign instead.
Ben Sulayem said that “for the time being there is no emergency” in finalising next year’s calendar.
The calendars for the last three seasons have all been announced by the end of July at the latest.
Norris edges Piastri on final lap | 01:37
HADJAR STAYS BENCHED FOR MADRID AS SUB TSUNODA SWEATS ON PENALTY
Red Bull Racing star Isack Hadjar will remain sidelined for a third grand prix as he continues to recover from a broken wrist.
His absence means Liam Lawson will get at least one more outing alongside Max Verstappen for Red Bull Racing, with Yuki Tsunoda getting another start with Racing Bulls in a bid to resuscitate his Formula 1 career in the final stages of the 2027 driver market.
Hadjar fractured his wrist in a training accident during the midseason break and skipped the Dutch Grand Prix, buying him a fortnight of recovery before the race in Italy at the weekend.
But the fracture hadn’t yet healed sufficiently to race in Monza, and Red Bull Racing boss Laurent Mekies admitted it would be “tricky” for him to then compete in this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix just a few days later.
The team has now confirmed the substitute arrangements will remain in place for the first race at Madrid’s Madring track.
“The decision has been taken as Isack’s recovery continues to progress positively,” the team said. “While he is not yet ready to return to the cockpit, he will be in Madrid supporting the team.
“Everyone at Red Bull Racing looks forward to welcoming Isack back behind the wheel very soon.”
After a positive first showing in Zandvoort, both Lawson and Tsunoda endured mixed fortunes in Italy.
Lawson was baulked by Oscar Piastri in qualifying, preventing him from progressing from Q2, but started from pit lane anyway with a new engine and set-up changes.
A tangle with Nico Hülkenberg early in the race condemned him to an anonymous 14th-place finish, his lowest classification of the season
Tsunoda suffered worse in qualifying, knocked out 17th after struggling with an electrical deployment problem that left him several tenths down on the front straight alone.
His race was better, however, and he finished 10th to score his first Formula 1 point since last November’s Qatar Grand Prix.
However, that result is under threat of protest by Audi, which signalled its intention to appeal a decision of the stewards not to penalise Tsunoda for his awkward positioning on the grid at the red flag restart that triggered a second formation lap.
Tsunoda initially lined up on the wrong side of the grid, realising his mistake only just in time to make it to his correct grid position. His positioning was awkward, however, leaving him pointing towards the pit wall.
A driver out of their grid box triggers an additional formation lap, with the offending driver required to start from pit lane or else serve a costly stop-go penalty.
However, the stewards found that Tsunoda was within the confines of his grid box, even if his positioning was unusual, and this did not warrant a penalty.
Audi has taken issue with the application of the rule and now has until Thursday night (AEST) to formally lodge its appeal.
Audi stands to benefit from Tsunoda retrospectively serving a stop-go penalty, which would add 30s to his race time. The Japanese driver would drop to 15th, with Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto taking his place in 10th.
Ferrari in chaos as Kimi seals comeback | 02:46
GEORGE RUSSELL GET CONSOLATION GRANDSTAND
While George Russell has all but admitted his 2026 championship hopes are over, the Briton has won the consolation prize of his own branded grandstand for next year’s British Grand Prix.
The stand will be positioned on the inside of Farm, the second corner of the lap, with views of the first turn and all the way to Loop.
“It’s a really, really cool place on the circuit — one of the best, in my opinion,” he said.
The move follows Lando Norris inaugurating the ‘Landostand’ at last year’s Silverstone event and its expansion this year as interest in the Englishman skyrocketed following his maiden championship victory.
Asked at this year’s race whether he would want to see a space made for his supporters, Russell said: “I would like it, to be honest.
“It’s something we’ve spoken about with the team in the past. It’s probably something we’re working towards for next year.”
He then joked that he would try to steal some of the Landostand’s land on the outside of Stowe, near the end of the lap.
Norris jokingly bit back, torching his compatriot by describing his own fan base as “better” and “more passionate”.
“Mine was more wanted from a public point of view, which is a great thing,” he said.
“Even in my grandstand there’s a good mix of all fans. It’s not just simply fans who are here to support me. It’s my grandstand, but at the same time it’s full of — sadly! — some other teams and also other drivers, which I’ve got nothing against.
“[Russell] can do whatever he wants, but he’s certainly not taking any of my seats.”
Four-day tickets to the Landostand sold for £569 (A$1030) apiece. Spectators also received T-shirts in Norris’s fluoro yellow, for the price of admission.
Russell is second in the championship standings but 66 points behind teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli after being defeated by the Italian in Monza despite starting 18 places ahead of him on the grid.
“I’m not even thinking about a fight or a comeback or anything,” he said.
“I’m just accepting that it is what it is, and I’m just going to enjoy it from here on in and try and win as many races as possible.”