FIA president: Qatar and Abu Dhabi races are going to happen, Imola stays backup
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said on Tuesday 20 October that the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races "are going to happen". It is a public statement from the head of the FIA that the final two races of the season will go ahead as scheduled, despite the Iran war and the wider conflict in the Gulf. Imola had been floated as a finale alternative, so it matters to fans whether the late-November and early-December dates hold.
What Ben Sulayem said
According to Reuters, as carried by Arab News, Ben Sulayem was speaking at an event in Biggin Hill, England. Asked whether the situation in the two countries was fine, he replied "Yeah, fine". Motorsport.com quoted him: "I cannot predict with this. I can only tell you today that there is nothing and the two races are going to happen."
He said his children live in the UAE and that he feels "secure". He is happy for FIA staff to attend both events, and added that the FIA will not send staff, drivers or officials anywhere it considers risky. He also acknowledged that he cannot predict what might happen later.
Dates and contingency
The two outlets give Qatar (Lusail) on 29 November and Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina) on 6 December. Reuters notes that Imola has been mentioned as a backup for the Abu Dhabi race if both Gulf rounds were cancelled, and Motorsport.com reported that F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said weeks ago that keeping Qatar and Abu Dhabi was Plan A, with a finale at Imola the fallback if tensions escalated. Domenicali attended the event but did not speak to reporters; Reuters says he has said the calendar is confirmed.
There are manpower backups too. Ben Sulayem said the FIA is always ready with reserve teams, and according to Motorsport.com the FIA could use local ASNs for volunteers and officials, citing a Lebanon rally staffed by officials from Cyprus, Greece and Jordan.
Background: two races already lost this year
Motorsport.com recaps that the US-Israel conflict with Iran led to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races earlier this year, with the Bahrain race effectively moved to Malaysia at the request of Bahrain's Crown Prince. The same article reports continuing ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia in conflict with Houthi rebels in Yemen, and a missile attack on Riyadh's airport that killed 13 people. Qatar and the UAE sit close to those conflict zones, which is why their races were in doubt.
This is an assessment that things are fine for now, not a guarantee: Ben Sulayem himself said he cannot predict what comes next, and none of the articles read carried a new statement from F1 or the teams. This Sunday's United States GP in Austin and the Mexico City round that follows are not affected.