Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali has said the season could end in Europe if races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi cannot be held, with a mid-September deadline set for a decision.
“We will take the maximum time for us to see how the situation will develop and we will take the decision at the right time,” Domenicali told reporters on Wednesday.
Races scheduled for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in April were called off due to the US-Israel war on Iran, with Malaysia’s Sepang circuit now due to host the latter on October 4, with the Gulf kingdom paying most of the costs.
The FIA-sanctioned World Endurance Championship (WEC) has already moved its last two rounds in Qatar and Bahrain to Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya and Italy’s Monza in October and November.
“For us today, the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are confirmed. By the way, they are already sold out,” Domenicali added. “If this will not be possible, the end of the season will be in Europe because we cannot go in other places.”
Qatar is due to host F1 on November 29 and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on December 6. Domenicali confirmed Italy’s Imola circuit, his birthplace and home to Ferrari as well as Mercedes’s Formula One leader Kimi Antonelli, was on the list of possible replacements.
Domenicali said there was a possibility of having two races in Las Vegas to end the season, but “we don’t want to ruin a jewel that is growing.” The 2027 calendar has yet to be published, but Bahrain was expected to take back its slot as season-opener from Australia in March.
“Of course, in case the situation in the Middle East would not be solved, we have options, different plans,” Domenicali said. “But the trigger for that, of course, is at the end of the year. So we still have a lot of time.” He confirmed the target of 24 grands prix for next year.
Portugal and Turkiye will return as new rounds on the calendar next year. Longer term, there were positive negotiations with possible hosts in Africa and interest from Asia and South America. Domenicali added that there are more requests in China and Japan, but for now they want to stay with one race in China to consolidate the market.
Source: www.aljazeera.com