F1 season finale is expected to be back in Europe in the event of an ongoing war in the Middle East disrupting the championship’s season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.But if the war in the Middle East continues to disrupt, then F1 race season is likely to continue in Europe with the final races planned in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Both remain on the agenda for now, but the sport has a contingency in mind in case security isn’t enhanced by mid-September, F1 President Stefano Domenicali has confirmed. The announcement is the most definitive yet to show Formula 1 is closely tracking the developments, and it’s striving to finish the championship with a full calendar. The Middle East leg would also not go ahead leaving Italy’s Imola circuit as the number one alternative.

Speaking at a media call, Domenicali emphasized that Qatar and of course Abu Dhabi, are still officially confirmed in spite of the uncertainty. The popularity of Formula 1 was demonstrated by the fast sell out of both the red and green race cards, as geopolitical tensions have overshadowed the end of a season which has rarely seen it used for racing competitions. He emphasized that the championship shouldn’t be taking any unnecessary risks however. If the conflict is not resolved by mid-September, Formula 1 will be looking elsewhere to find a new series venue overseas, instead of turning its gaze to Europe. Domenicali was reluctant to make the announcement of a new circuit, though so far, Imola looks to be the clear favourite for the last race.

The uncertainty comes on top of an already thrown off schedule 2026. Previously this season Formula 1 was forced to cancel the Grands Prix in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the fighting. Malaysia has subsequently taken over for the home race in September, and the new races have the racing objective as the commercial aim set in the initial schedule of 21 races, remaining unchanged. In spite of that tweak, Domenicali is adamant on extending the calendar with a new event following Las Vegas Grand Prix (21 November).

There was also a plan to run a second race in Vegas originally for Formula 1, but that plan wasn’t meant to stick. Domenicali stated that to double up at the venue would make one of the more popular on-site events doubly exclusive at best of this championship. Yet another worry is television time during an NFL season, when American television owners are in shadow boxing mode. It’s better to keep the Las Vegas Grand Prix valuable, so Formula 1 thinks, than decrease viewership.

Focus is already shifting to 2027 calendar too. Bahrain should be hosting the opening race with the past two year’s schedulers having taken place in Australia because of the time off during Ramadan. In case that situation in the Middle East doesn’t get better next season, Formula 1 has alternative plans on which to rely, as Domenicali affirmed. The governing body will to make quick changes if needed, and aims to present its standard schedule later this year.

Domenicali was also staking the defence of the new 2026 rules for Formula 1. Some of the top performers such as Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso have criticized the shift to more energy-saving, which means that drivers are being taken off the throttle in high-speed corners and onto a hot seat since they have to care for their battery and Thermal Management Systems. In fact, some parts of the track were even referred to as “charging stations” due to the necessity of electrical energy regeneration.

However, Domenicali grudgingly accepted both concerns but still gave credit to the basic drama and excitement of racing that has been kept intact. He said most of the riders think of the on-track action not technology such as what goes in to deploying batteries or clipping energy. He added he was pleased with improvements that will have less impact on energy recovery during the upcoming two seasons while also fostering discussion of issues behind the scenes instead of on the open Web.

In the future, Formula 1 is already preparing its engine rules for next generation in 2030 or 2031. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of FIA, has been campaigning for a switch back to naturally aspirated V8 engines, but a few manufacturers, such as Mercedes and Audi, are keen to continue using the turbocharged hybrid technology. Domenicali feels the conversations are going good, and hopes to have an outline agreement before the end of this year. Its aim is to develop lighter cars using more sustainable fuels, with meaningful electrification and give the racers more freedom to blast their cars down the track.

It is one of the largest scheduling difficulties in many years that Formula 1 is facing. It’s anyone’s guess whether the championship will end in the Adhirons lights, or whether it heads to a more familiar European circuit from now on.Regardless of the outcome, it must still be a safe, competitive and full F1 season finale with respect to the integrity of the world championship.