F1 provides 'confirmed' update on final rounds of calendar

Formula 1 has reiterated its plans for the 2026 season to close with the scheduled double-header in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, whilst the contingency of switching to Imola for the finale remains an option.

F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali addressed the matter directly, confirming that rounds 22 and 23 remain locked in at the Lusail International Circuit and Yas Marina Circuit respectively.

It comes after months of uncertainty surrounding Formula 1's presence in the Middle East. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, originally scheduled for April, were postponed after escalating military conflict in the region compromised airspace and disrupted freight and travel logistics.

The first race has since been rearranged at the Sepang International Circuit this weekend, for the unusually named Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, but the latter round had to be cancelled.

Against that backdrop, Imola is a fallback option for a season-ending finale on 6 December should Qatar and Abu Dhabi drop from the calendar, with preparatory infrastructure work, including temporary grandstands, said to have already begun at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari as a safeguard.

The strategy F1 will apply

Domenicali made clear that the Imola plan remains parked rather than activated, insisting the sport's focus stays fixed on the original Gulf finale.

"Yes, as we've already said, the calendar is confirmed: the last two grands prix will be in Qatar and Abu Dhabi," Domenicali told Sky Sports Italia.

"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 FIA and Formula 1 continue monitoring the security situation through consultations with promoters, local authorities and security specialists ahead of the Qatar round in late November and the Abu Dhabi finale a week later.

MotoGP postponed its own Qatar round from April to a rescheduled slot at Lusail from 6-8 November rather than cancelling the fixture outright.

Whether Formula 1's position holds without alteration remains to be seen, with the championship's leadership stressing that any change of course would depend on the reassurances it receives in the weeks ahead.