Formula One has a plan if Middle East races cannot take place: Stefano Domenicali

LONDON – Formula One has a plan to keep the show on the road should season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi be affected by conflict in the Middle East, chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali said on July 1.

The Italian emphasised there was no current concern they might not be held.

Qatar is due to host the penultimate round of the championship on Nov 30 with Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina following on Dec 7 with what has been a title decider in the past.

Iran responded to US participation in Israel’s 12-day air war against Iran in June by

firing missiles at a US airbase in Qatar

, just across the Gulf from Iran.

Airline services in the Middle East have been heavily disrupted, with some countries closing their airspace for a period.

Domenicali said F1 was in daily contact with promoters in the Middle East, who he said remained relaxed and were closely monitoring the situation.

“To say something on that is very, very difficult,” he replied, when asked if he felt there was a real risk of the races not happening.

“So far, we don’t have this kind of signal and so we are really hoping not. So I don’t want to even think about it, mainly for the bigger picture and not for the racing itself... and of course, in case of, we have a plan.

“But let’s hope this will not be even thinkable.”

Qatar and Abu Dhabi are the last two races in a triple-header on successive weekends that starts with Las Vegas on Nov 22, with the cars then flown straight to the Middle East.

While weather conditions in December would make it tricky to host replacement races at some European tracks, there are warmer options such as Portugal’s Algarve circuit, which was used during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Europe is big, the temperatures are quite mild in certain areas,” said Domenicali, who agreed one circuit might host both races. “Definitely, we cannot go in places where there will be snow.

“But as I said, I am not even thinking about that.

“We are not worried at all that this will have an effect on the championship.”

F1 raced in Saudi Arabia in 2022, despite attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthis on an oil facility near the Jeddah street circuit.

Domenicali said F1 was there then because it was sure of the guarantees of safety but recognised situations could change fast.

“We just need to be always ready and monitor the situation,” he said.

Meanwhile, he added that Silverstone circuit could stay on the F1 calendar forever with no real rival to host the British Grand Prix – which will take place this weekend.

The Italian told reporters he could not imagine a championship without Britain, home to seven of the 10 teams, but there was also no chance of the country having more than one race.

“I do believe that... Silverstone has the right characteristics to stay forever in the calendar,” said Domenicali, who visited Downing Street on July 2 with some drivers and team bosses to meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“There’s no other places where you can develop such a huge event in the UK. I don’t see any other places, to be honest.”

Silverstone hosted the first world championship race in 1950 and has a contract until 2034. In 2024, it hosted the biggest crowd of any event on the calendar with 480,000 spectators.

Miami and Austria’s Red Bull Ring have the longest deals, both running to 2041, and Domenicali saw no reason why Silverstone could not join them, although the circuit management had yet to seek an extension. REUTERS