F1 season to end in Europe if Qatar, Abu Dhabi unable to host due to war

F1 season to end in Europe if Qatar, Abu Dhabi unable to host due to warF1 sets a mid-September deadline to decide whether final rounds in Middle East can be held due to US-Israel war on Iran.Formula One will ⁠end the season in Europe ⁠if races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi cannot be held and has set a mid-September deadline, the Liberty Media-owned sport’s Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali has said.“We will take the maximum time for us to see how the situation will develop and we will take the decision at the right time,” Domenicali told reporters on Wednesday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the FIFA World Cup: All to knowlist 2 of 4American, Asian confederations blindsided by FIFA’s $20bn investment planlist 3 of 4Cricket: Seales stars with ball as West Indies beat Pakistan in first Testlist 4 of 4World Cup: For India football, qualification is still just a distant dreamend of listRaces scheduled for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain ⁠in April were called off due to the US-Israel war on Iran, with Malaysia’s Sepang circuit now due to host the latter on October 4, with the Gulf kingdom paying most of the costs.The FIA-sanctioned World Endurance Championship (WEC) has already moved its ⁠last two rounds in Qatar and Bahrain to Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya and Italy’s Monza in October and November.Domenicali said, “The deadline for the decision of any possible change of the actual calendar is the middle of September.”“For us ‌today, the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are confirmed. By the way, they are already sold out,” he added. “If this will not be possible, the end of the season will be in Europe because we cannot go in other places.”Qatar is due to host F1 on November 29 and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on December 6.Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is the venue for the final round of the 2026 Formula One season [File: Amr Alfiky/Reuters]Imola confirmed on list of candidatesDomenicali confirmed Italy’s Imola circuit, his birthplace and home to Ferrari as well as Mercedes’s Formula One leader Kimi Antonelli, was on the list of possible replacements.