F1’s 2026 Season Finale: Qatar and Abu Dhabi Remain on the Calendar

Formula One’s current plan is to finish the 2026 season with back-to-back races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled for November 27–29, with the race on November 29; the Abu Dhabi finale is set for December 4–6, with the race on December 6. 69

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said the sport had chosen this course based on information and assurances it had received. The plan is to proceed as scheduled, not a guarantee that conditions cannot change. 11

Why F1 is proceeding with the Middle East finale

The races had been in doubt because of the conflict in the region. At the time F1 teams were awaiting a decision, reporting cited travel advice warning that the situation remained unpredictable and that further attacks or escalation were possible. 7

Domenicali’s latest position is that Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain on the calendar, subject to the necessary assurances. F1 has not publicly detailed those assurances in the available reports, so the decision should not be read as a claim that all security concerns have disappeared. 11

Imola is a fallback, but not the current plan

F1 had authorized preparations at Imola in case the sport could not race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The Italian circuit was being readied as a contingency while the Middle East races continued their own preparations. 18

That status has since shifted: Domenicali said the option of ending the season in Imola is off the table for now. The immediate plan is to keep the two scheduled races; the earlier contingency reporting makes clear that an alternative had been considered if circumstances required a change. 1

Teams are preparing for the scheduled races

Qatar and Abu Dhabi have continued preparations, and the expectation reported by F1-focused coverage is that teams will proceed on the basis that both events go ahead. 18 The schedule remains contingent on the situation and the assurances F1 says it needs. 11

How the conflict changed the earlier calendar

The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were called off earlier in the season because of the regional conflict. Bahrain’s event was subsequently rescheduled for October 2–4 at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, as a race held on Bahrain’s behalf. 4

Saudi Arabia’s Grand Prix was not reinstated in the revised plans reported alongside F1’s latest decision. 6 The season-ending races are therefore a separate, still-monitored decision: F1’s stated direction is to race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, while retaining the ability to reassess if the necessary conditions are not met. 11