FORMULA 1 TEAMS NEED DECISION ‘BY MID-OCTOBER’ ON WHETHER FINAL RACES WILL GO AHEAD

F1 teams are on the clock for a decision about the season finale. Qatar and Abu Dhabi are scheduled to close out the calendar in November and December, but the Iran conflict that scrubbed Bahrain and Saudi Arabia earlier this year has those races in doubt. Imola is teed up as the backup venue.

Haas principal Ayao Komatsu expects word by mid-October. The squeeze is logistical: European motorhome crews take winter work, so finding replacements on short notice isn't trivial. Drivers have flagged December cold, but Audi's Mattia Binotto shot that down—Imola in winter runs warmer than Vegas.

CEO Stefano Domenicali told the Financial Times the decision is made but left wiggle room, confirming Imola stands ready "in case of force majeure." For teams, the uncertainty complicates staffing and freight planning. For the championship, it's a reminder that geopolitics can rewrite the calendar faster than a safety car bunches the field.