Stefano Domenicali says the rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will go ahead as planned. Image: XPB Images
Speaking to Sky Sports Italia in the Sepang paddock during the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Domenicali maintained that the championship remains committed to visiting Lusail on November 29 before Abu Dhabi hosts the season finale one week later.
“Yes, as we’ve already said, the calendar is confirmed: the last two grands prix will be in Qatar and Abu Dhabi,” Domenicali said.
“This is the direction we’ve taken based on the information and reassurances we have, and which we absolutely must have, of course. It’s the strategy we’ll apply until the end of the year.”
The comments provide F1’s strongest assurance so far that another major calendar change will not be required after regional security concerns already forced significant disruption earlier in the season.
Both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were unable to take place at their original venues in April amid the conflict in the Middle East and its impact on airspace, freight and travel.
Saudi Arabia was ultimately cancelled for 2026, while Bahrain was given an unusual reprieve through an agreement to transfer its race to Malaysia while retaining its official Bahrain Grand Prix identity.
That arrangement is playing out at Sepang this weekend, bringing F1 back to Malaysia for the first time since 2017 and restoring one of the most popular rounds lost from the calendar.
The race was put together through cooperation between Formula 1, the FIA and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia, with Sepang taking over the October 2-4 date while continuing to carry Bahrain’s name and Gulf Air title sponsorship.
Domenicali admitted the concept had initially appeared unlikely when discussions began before eventually becoming a reality.
“Well, we’re in Malaysia, but we’re experiencing the Bahrain Grand Prix 100 percent here,” he said.
“At first, when we heard about it, it seemed like a rather fanciful idea, didn’t it? And yet they’ve managed to make it a reality, thanks to the close cooperation between the two countries.”
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix looks set to host the season finale in 2026. Image: XPB Images
More than 1000 people from Bahrain have travelled to Malaysia to assist with staging the event, while Domenicali also pointed to the strong turnout at Sepang as a positive sign following F1’s nine-year absence from the country.
The successful relocation has allowed the championship to retain a 23-round schedule, but uncertainty had remained over whether Qatar and Abu Dhabi could safely proceed at the end of the year.
Qatar is scheduled to host the penultimate event from November 27-29 before Abu Dhabi brings the season to a close from December 4-6.
Both races have remained on the official calendar throughout the uncertainty, although Formula 1 has also developed contingency plans should travelling to the region become unviable.
Imola has emerged as the leading alternative for a European conclusion to the championship, with preparations having progressed far enough for temporary infrastructure, including grandstands, to reportedly begin being organised as a precaution.
Portimao and Istanbul have also previously been linked with alternative plans, although Imola has become the most prominent option if the scheduled Middle Eastern finale cannot proceed.
Qatar had already publicly maintained that its grand prix remained on course, with Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation president Abdul Rahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai saying last month that preparations had continued despite the wider uncertainty.
Domenicali had previously indicated Formula 1 would wait until at least the middle of September before deciding whether changes were required, while also making clear the championship would switch the end of the season to Europe if conditions were not considered suitable.
Unless the security situation changes enough to prompt another intervention, the unusual Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia should therefore prove the final major alteration to the 2026 schedule, with Qatar and Abu Dhabi remaining in place to close out the season.