F1 Teams Want Answer on Qatar and Abu Dhabi Races, Imola on Standby
Formula 1 team bosses say they need to know by mid-October whether the final two races of the 2026 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will go ahead, with Imola ready as a backup.
Decision Date Pushed Back
F1 teams are waiting for a clear answer about the end of the 2026 F1 calendar. The last two races are set for Qatar and Abu Dhabi, but it is not yet certain that they will take place as planned.
Formula 1 already has a backup plan to hold a replacement race at Imola in Italy. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali first said a decision would come by mid-September. That date has now moved to mid-October, and the teams say they need to know soon.
Haas team principal: Imola Is Getting Ready
Ayao Komatsu said he believes Domenicali plans to give the teams an answer by mid-October. He added that Imola is already preparing in case it is needed.
Komatsu said the biggest challenge would be staff. Many of the people who run team motorhomes and other facilities in Europe have different jobs in winter, so teams would need to find other workers. Still, he said the F1 paddock works like a big family and would make it happen if needed. However, he hopes the season can finish in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as planned.
Binotto Not Worried About the Cold
Some drivers have said Imola could be very cold if a race is held there in December. Audi team boss Mattia Binotto does not agree. He said the average temperature at Imola at that time of year is actually higher than in Las Vegas, where F1 also races late in the season.
Binotto said the real problems are organisation and logistics, not the weather. He also said he hopes the right decision is made in mid-October.
All Eyes on Mid-October
Whether F1 finishes in the Middle East or moves to Imola, teams say they need time to plan staff, travel and equipment. With the deadline already moved once, everyone is now waiting for the decision in the middle of this month.