F1 backs Abu Dhabi for 2026 season finale

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

Formula One remains committed to ending its 2026 championship in Abu Dhabi, with chief executive Stefano Domenicali saying the scheduled December finale at Yas Marina Circuit remains firmly on the calendar.
Domenicali moved to ease uncertainty surrounding the final Middle East rounds during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend at Zandvoort. He said preparations for Abu Dhabi were progressing well and Formula One remained focused on delivering the calendar it had planned.

“The calendar is confirmed,” Domenicali said, adding that only limited ticket inventory remained for Abu Dhabi and preparations were advancing well. His remarks represented a stronger statement of intent after Formula One had earlier prepared alternatives in case continuing regional tensions made racing in Qatar and the UAE impractical.

The Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix event runs from December 3 to 6, with Formula One track sessions beginning on December 4. Qualifying is scheduled for December 5 and the 58-lap race will take place on December 6, closing the championship at Yas Marina Circuit. The Qatar Grand Prix remains scheduled for November 27-29 at Lusail, one week before the Abu Dhabi finale.

Uncertainty over the two races intensified after conflict involving Iran disrupted the championship earlier in the year. The Formula One weekends scheduled for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April were called off after security conditions across the Gulf deteriorated. Saudi Arabia’s race remains cancelled, while the Bahrain Grand Prix has subsequently been relocated to Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit and is scheduled for October 4.

Formula One had also drawn up contingency plans for the closing part of the season. Domenicali said in July that a European finish was possible if conditions prevented Qatar and Abu Dhabi from staging their races. Imola in Italy was among the venues considered as an alternative, although holding a late-season European Grand Prix would have presented challenges linked to weather, logistics and scheduling.

The latest comments indicate that Formula One no longer sees an immediate reason to activate those arrangements. The championship’s position remains subject to security assessments, but organisers in Abu Dhabi are continuing preparations on the basis that the race will proceed as scheduled.

Abu Dhabi officials have also underlined their expectation that the event will go ahead. Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, undersecretary at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said the emirate was preparing to welcome Formula One followers for another championship finale and highlighted the event’s contribution to tourism, hospitality and the wider events economy.

Ethara chief executive Saif Rashid Al Noaimi said work was progressing across all aspects of the Grand Prix. Ticket availability has become limited as the event approaches, reinforcing expectations of strong attendance despite the geopolitical uncertainty that has affected other sporting events in the region.

The Yas Marina Circuit has been part of Formula One since 2009 and has established itself as the championship’s traditional closing venue, staging the season finale continuously since 2014. The 5.281-kilometre circuit will again host a 58-lap race covering 306.183 kilometres.

The Abu Dhabi weekend has developed beyond the race itself into one of the UAE’s largest annual entertainment programmes. Andrea Bocelli, Zara Larsson, Lewis Capaldi and Imagine Dragons are among the performers announced for the Yasalam after-race concerts, with additional entertainment expected around the Grand Prix programme.

Formula One’s handling of the 2026 calendar has demonstrated the logistical pressures created by the regional conflict. Moving the Bahrain Grand Prix to Sepang allowed the championship to preserve that event under the Bahrain Grand Prix name, but the loss of Saudi Arabia means the schedule is set to contain 23 races rather than the original 24.