Formula 1 has officially confirmed that the 2024 season will conclude with races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, instructing the Imola circuit in Italy to halt preparations as a potential backup venue. The sport’s governing body is pressing ahead with its schedule, placing the Qatar Grand Prix on November 27-29 and the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 4-6. This decision comes despite the ongoing geopolitical tension between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has already disrupted the calendar earlier in the year.
Championship decider set for Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite regional conflict uncertainties.
Imola was initially asked to prepare for a contingency grand prix on the Abu Dhabi dates if the Middle Eastern events faced cancellation due to safety concerns. However, F1 notified the Italian circuit on Tuesday to stand down from these preparations. While the immediate threat of relocation appears to have passed, F1 maintains a strict contingency plan, stating that it remains prepared to cancel both races if the security situation in the region deteriorates further.
The current schedule follows a turbulent start to the season where the Saudi Arabian and Bahraini Grands Prix, originally scheduled for April, were impacted by the outbreak of conflict. Saudi Arabia’s race was cancelled entirely, while Bahrain’s event was delayed and eventually held at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit in October. With the championship title still undecided, the confirmation of the Middle Eastern finale ensures the season will end as planned, provided regional stability holds through the final two weekends.
Source: BBC Sport
