The plan stands
Real talk: The F1 season is heading into its final stretch, and despite the chaos unfolding in the Middle East, the sport’s big boss is doubling down. Stefano Domenicali, the chief executive of Formula One, confirmed on Saturday that the season-ending grands prix in Qatar on November 29 and Abu Dhabi on December 6 are officially locked in.
Speaking to Canal+ while at the Bahrain Grand Prix—which had to be relocated to Malaysia’s Sepang circuit—Domenicali insisted that all systems are go. He emphasized that teams and drivers are in the loop, and the vibes are actually high for the finale, with Abu Dhabi tickets 99% sold out.
The drama behind the scenes
It’s not all smooth sailing, though. The plot thickens because other races, specifically Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, were already scrapped earlier this year when the US-led war with Iran kicked off. While the suits say everything is in order, the drivers aren't all feeling it.
Max Verstappen kept it 100 during an interview with ViaPlay, saying he would lowkey prefer to skip those final stops. “When there is a war nearby, and if some of the countries are in conflict with each other, then I think we shouldn’t go,” he noted. He’s basically saying human safety > a contract. The tension is high, and there was even talk about potentially moving the finale to Imola, Italy, but for now, it's a no-go on those plans.
Why it matters
This decision highlights the high-stakes friction between global sports contracts and the reality of international conflict. With Verstappen using his platform to question the ethics of racing in a war zone, the pressure on F1 leadership is only going to intensify as the season approaches its finale.
