Abu Dhabi and Qatar GPs - yes or no?
Discussion
Do any of the “insiders” on this forum have any news or views about the likelihood of these races going ahead? I am aware that the official FIA position is currently that they will happen but with the activity in Saudi and the potential of that to spill into the Gulf plus the possibility of the US resuming hostilities after the mid-terms one has to wonder?
I have a vested interest as we booked the Abu Dhabi race months ago (before the US/Iran conflict started) but so far have managed to hold off confirming flights and hotac but will have to commit soon. My worry is that I end up with non refundable flights and hotel and then the race is cancelled. Arguably a bit of a first world problem in the grand scheme of things but any information would be appreciated.
I have a vested interest as we booked the Abu Dhabi race months ago (before the US/Iran conflict started) but so far have managed to hold off confirming flights and hotac but will have to commit soon. My worry is that I end up with non refundable flights and hotel and then the race is cancelled. Arguably a bit of a first world problem in the grand scheme of things but any information would be appreciated.
I dont really care to be honest, these places are now the go to for a lot of sports because they pay rights holders huge amount of money, so the sport will push to go there regardless of risk.
I dont think anyone actually WANTs to go there in reality.
And we all know why they do, money. They say to expand the sport to new markets, but we now have 65 races a year is that really necessary? Same as MotoGP, it's about money, nothing else. They still have 4 bloody races a year in Spain
I dont think anyone actually WANTs to go there in reality.
And we all know why they do, money. They say to expand the sport to new markets, but we now have 65 races a year is that really necessary? Same as MotoGP, it's about money, nothing else. They still have 4 bloody races a year in Spain
Edited by bergclimber34 on Friday 16th October 17:16
I live in UAE and also have tickets to Abu Dhabi.
The issue is that Abu Dhabi have no intention of cancelling the race, and F1 can t cancel it without triggering a whole load of insurance clauses. The pressure is on the promoter to cancel, but why would they? There s an eight-figure monetary sum involved as the race fee to FOM.
Thy key is the UK Foreign Office travel advice, which was changed some months ago with regard to UAE. The advice is no longer not to travel , but something along the lines of exercise caution travelling there, which applies to half a dozen F1 venues already with no insurance issues.
Edit to add: local airlines and hotels have been really good with rebooking policies this year, they re relying on the tourism income and will generally allow dates to be rescheduled if events don t take place.
The issue is that Abu Dhabi have no intention of cancelling the race, and F1 can t cancel it without triggering a whole load of insurance clauses. The pressure is on the promoter to cancel, but why would they? There s an eight-figure monetary sum involved as the race fee to FOM.
Thy key is the UK Foreign Office travel advice, which was changed some months ago with regard to UAE. The advice is no longer not to travel , but something along the lines of exercise caution travelling there, which applies to half a dozen F1 venues already with no insurance issues.
Edit to add: local airlines and hotels have been really good with rebooking policies this year, they re relying on the tourism income and will generally allow dates to be rescheduled if events don t take place.
Edited by Sandpit Steve on Friday 16th October 17:25
richhead said:
I hope they dont go ahead, but i think they will, as said its all about money.
Im pleased wec had the balls to say no
Part of the problem for the WEC was that the French government advised French nationals not to travel and with Michelin being the primary tyre supplier...Im pleased wec had the balls to say no
Sandpit Steve said:
Thy key is the UK Foreign Office travel advice, which was changed some months ago with regard to UAE. The advice is no longer not to travel , but something along the lines of exercise caution travelling there, which applies to half a dozen F1 venues already with no insurance issues.
This is the thing you need to watch. If the UKFO advise against travel, that (can) invalidate any travel insurance which affects not just travelling fans but everyone involved in F1 based in the UK, which is most of them. In this case, even if nothing happens, if anything happens to an individual they're on their own.StevieBee said:
Sandpit Steve said:
Thy key is the UK Foreign Office travel advice, which was changed some months ago with regard to UAE. The advice is no longer not to travel , but something along the lines of exercise caution travelling there, which applies to half a dozen F1 venues already with no insurance issues.
This is the thing you need to watch. If the UKFO advise against travel, that (can) invalidate any travel insurance which affects not just travelling fans but everyone involved in F1 based in the UK, which is most of them. In this case, even if nothing happens, if anything happens to an individual they're on their own.UAE is perfectly safe imo, I'd go there tomorrow with no concerns. But I might feel slightly differently if I was at a global sporting event taking place there. Especially one operated and owned by Americans.
Of course, nobody wants to cancel it until the 11th hour, if they absolutely have to do so. That's just common sense.
Baku is geographically closer to Iran than AD or Qatar, and the circus went there seemingly without any worries about being attacked. Iran has been very specific in its targets so far, and hasn't gone for the soft, easy targets. It's been more about causing disruption than mass civilian damage. I'd be more concerned about them bombing the airports and trapping me in the country than actually being attacked at the moment.
The only reason motorsport ever went there was through an accident of geology , combined with the fact that Ecclestone pimped the sport to anybody who had enough cash to contribute to his billonaire fund. Next to no motor sport heritage in the Gulf , but lots of races . And yet the Nordic countries have contributed immensely to all strata of motor sport, F 1 included ., but last had an F1 GP in 1978 . Go figure , because I'm f**** if I can ...
MotoGP, which is also owned by Liberty Media is due there from the 6th to the 8th of November. Three days after the US midterms. So far they’re saying this will go ahead. Some of the teams are starting to push back on this now, Honda and Yamaha are likely to refuse to go, as are Ducati. Again, the lack of a round would have a similarly major effect on the title, so likely to be rescheduled at short notice to somewhere IMO. I also this]ns it’s being g used as a test case for F1. Pushback and moving elsewhere means F1 will have to move too. A boycott by some teams will make a mockery of the title fight if they insist on it being held in Qatar.
It’s a mess.
https://www.gpone.com/en/2026/10/16/motogp/qatar-g...
It’s a mess.
https://www.gpone.com/en/2026/10/16/motogp/qatar-g...
coppice said:
The only reason motorsport ever went there was through an accident of geology , combined with the fact that Ecclestone pimped the sport to anybody who had enough cash to contribute to his billonaire fund. Next to no motor sport heritage in the Gulf , but lots of races . And yet the Nordic countries have contributed immensely to all strata of motor sport, F 1 included ., but last had an F1 GP in 1978 . Go figure , because I'm f**** if I can ...
Money. Piginapoke said:
Money.
Money and contracts. I don’t know a lot about the Qatar situation, but as regards AD:
1. FOM would prefer the race moved to Italy.
2. There has been no significant military activity against UAE since April. The attacks as they were lasted for less than six weeks from 28th Feb.
3. AD has no interest in cancelling the race. They pay a lot of money to host the last race, and need an anchor for their inbound tourist season which was somewhat disrupted earlier this year. IMHO a number of other major events scheduled to take place both in the UAE and wider region this winter, are looking to see if the F1 goes ahead.
4. Dubai Rugby 7s, another massive event with 60k people attending, is still due to go ahead 27th-29th November, weekend before AD and the same weekend as Qatar GP is scheduled.
5. There’s nothing that FOM could reasonably call ‘force majure’ in the contract. Western governments are not advising against travel to UAE. Of course this may change in the next few weeks, but right now it’s unlikely.
6. AD will sue the arses off FOM for breach of contract if the race is cancelled against AD’s wishes. FOM also don’t want to upset AD because they pay one of the largest hosting fees of the entire season. There’s no chance of “Abu Dhabi GP in Italy” as Bahrain did in Malaysia.
Sandpit Steve said:
Piginapoke said:
Money.
Money and contracts. I don t know a lot about the Qatar situation, but as regards AD:
1. FOM would prefer the race moved to Italy.
2. There has been no significant military activity against UAE since April. The attacks as they were lasted for less than six weeks from 28th Feb.
3. AD has no interest in cancelling the race. They pay a lot of money to host the last race, and need an anchor for their inbound tourist season which was somewhat disrupted earlier this year. IMHO a number of other major events scheduled to take place both in the UAE and wider region this winter, are looking to see if the F1 goes ahead.
4. Dubai Rugby 7s, another massive event with 60k people attending, is still due to go ahead 27th-29th November, weekend before AD and the same weekend as Qatar GP is scheduled.
5. There s nothing that FOM could reasonably call force majure in the contract. Western governments are not advising against travel to UAE. Of course this may change in the next few weeks, but right now it s unlikely.
6. AD will sue the arses off FOM for breach of contract if the race is cancelled against AD s wishes. FOM also don t want to upset AD because they pay one of the largest hosting fees of the entire season. There s no chance of Abu Dhabi GP in Italy as Bahrain did in Malaysia.
Somewhere a lawyer is having a very bad time - they've failed to protect FOM interests in this scenario. Although TBF, who could have foreseen the possibility of conflict on the middle east...
Steve is correct.
Local MSO is full steam ahead with organisation, prep is in full swing at the circuit, govt representative is all over the radio saying it’s going ahead.
Remember where the head of the FIA is from and also the losses in the hospitality industry this year. Insurance is what it cancelling other events but this will be govt backed.
Unless FOM blinks first and cancels (with all $damages that entails) it’s on.
Local MSO is full steam ahead with organisation, prep is in full swing at the circuit, govt representative is all over the radio saying it’s going ahead.
Remember where the head of the FIA is from and also the losses in the hospitality industry this year. Insurance is what it cancelling other events but this will be govt backed.
Unless FOM blinks first and cancels (with all $damages that entails) it’s on.
TheDeuce said:
I think you're right. They won't officially cancel it even if they don't think it can go ahead. Force FOM to cancel it and they get their fee back.
Somewhere a lawyer is having a very bad time - they've failed to protect FOM interests in this scenario. Although TBF, who could have foreseen the possibility of conflict on the middle east...
Yes AD has a contract, and they’re prepared to enforce it if FOM just decide not to turn up. Somewhere a lawyer is having a very bad time - they've failed to protect FOM interests in this scenario. Although TBF, who could have foreseen the possibility of conflict on the middle east...
The reputational damage to Abu Dhabi and the UAE from FOM unilaterally cancelling easily runs into the billions, and they’ll probably sue them in a US court where billions can and often are awarded. Open court too, with the world’s media watching and “Formula 1” as a brand on trial for breach of contract, with every FOM internal email fair play for discovery.
Without getting too much into the geopolitics of the whole situation, let’s just say that the Gulf States have been expecting the events of this year since about 1979. Iran has been the source of almost everything bad in the region for nearly half a century, and at some point it was all going to come to a head pretty much as it has done.
shirt said:
Steve is correct.
Local MSO is full steam ahead with organisation, prep is in full swing at the circuit, govt representative is all over the radio saying it s going ahead.
Remember where the head of the FIA is from and also the losses in the hospitality industry this year. Insurance is what it cancelling other events but this will be govt backed.
Unless FOM blinks first and cancels (with all $damages that entails) it s on.
Haha good point about Mr Ben Sulayem, had somehow forgotten that one! Local MSO is full steam ahead with organisation, prep is in full swing at the circuit, govt representative is all over the radio saying it s going ahead.
Remember where the head of the FIA is from and also the losses in the hospitality industry this year. Insurance is what it cancelling other events but this will be govt backed.
Unless FOM blinks first and cancels (with all $damages that entails) it s on.
Yes, readers, he’s Emirati, and will want to go to his own home race!
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