FIA President confirms Qatar and Abu Dhabi F1 races will proceed

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has expressed confidence that the Formula 1 season will conclude as scheduled with the Grand Prix races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, Ben Sulayem stated that the current situation is safe enough for the events to proceed.

To emphasize his confidence, Ben Sulayem noted that his own children reside in the United Arab Emirates and that he would not leave them there if he perceived a genuine risk to their safety. He also indicated that he is comfortable sending FIA personnel to the races, though contingency plans remain in place to move the season finale to Imola, Italy, should regional instability escalate.

This announcement follows the earlier cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix due to regional conflict. While Max Verstappen had previously expressed reservations regarding racing in the Middle East under current conditions, he has since clarified that he trusts the FIA and Formula 1 leadership to make the correct decisions based on their access to information.