F1 holds its line as MotoGP fractures over Qatar

Formula 1 has told its teams that the season-ending Qatar Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will go ahead as planned, even as MotoGP faces a public split over its own race at the same Qatar circuit this weekend. The message, sent during the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend and viewed by ESPN, was Formula 1's direct response to Yamaha's withdrawal from the Qatar MotoGP race at Lusail, scheduled for November 6 to 8.

The 2026 Formula 1 season is due to conclude with the Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail on November 29, followed by the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina on December 6. In its message, Formula 1 reiterated that both events remain on the calendar. It also cautioned teams against speaking publicly about the war in Iran, and against being drawn into media speculation about the situation in the region.

The sport says it is in constant communication with the authorities in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and that it has been assured the races can be held safely as things stand. It has also pointed to government travel guidance and to an insurance position that, according to reports, has not changed since May.

Why Yamaha's withdrawal changed the conversation

Yamaha's decision gave the debate a concrete, public form. The Japanese manufacturer said it had found no sufficient grounds to alter a travel policy that restricts travel to the Middle East because of the war in Iran earlier this year. Its satellite team, Pramac, also decided not to contest the Qatar MotoGP race, prompting MotoGP to warn of contractual and sporting consequences.

Formula 1's message sought to draw a line between the two championships. Teams were told in advance about Yamaha's news, and were informed that the other manufacturers and MotoGP as a whole still intended to travel to Qatar. Formula 1, in other words, does not see Yamaha's withdrawal as a reason to change its own plans at this stage.

Verstappen sees no MotoGP-style split, with a caveat

Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, does not expect Formula 1 to fracture in the way MotoGP has. "I don't think a situation similar to what happened in MotoGP will happen," Verstappen said, according to reports of his comments. He added, however, that his view depends on the safety guarantees Formula 1 can provide and on what happens in the coming weeks.

That qualification matters. Verstappen has previously been more outspoken about racing in the Middle East, and he has since softened his public position, saying he trusts Formula 1 and the FIA because they hold more information than drivers do. In Mexico, he returned to the same careful balance: he said it also depends on what can be guaranteed in terms of safety, noting that the region is still not entirely stable.

Carlos Sainz, the Williams driver and a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, has expressed doubts more directly. Ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Sainz said it was very difficult to be convinced right now that the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi would happen, speaking personally rather than on behalf of the drivers' association. He later rowed back those comments with a clarification emphasising his trust in Formula 1 and the FIA, less than two hours after his original remarks.

Imola waits in the background

Formula 1 is not proceeding without a fallback. If the Middle East events have to be cancelled, the contingency plan is to race at Imola in Italy on December 6. Organisers at Imola have been authorised to prepare temporary grandstands and other infrastructure so the circuit can be activated at relatively short notice.

Imola works as a contingency because it is in Europe, where all 11 Formula 1 teams are based. The sport has also stressed that it has comprehensive evacuation plans at every grand prix, and that it has walked teams through scenarios in which they might need to leave Qatar or Abu Dhabi quickly.

A champion already crowned

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli clinched the 2026 drivers' championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix, finishing third in only his second season in Formula 1. At 20, he is the youngest world champion in the sport's history, and the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

The achievement drew tributes from across Italian sport and from MotoGP. Valentino Rossi led the congratulations in a video message shared by Formula 1, saying: "Come on Kimi! World champion! We are all so proud of you; great job." Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi, a close friend of Antonelli, and other MotoGP riders also sent messages, underlining the personal links between the two paddocks even as their championships take different paths on Qatar.

For now, Formula 1's position is unchanged: Qatar on November 29, Abu Dhabi on December 6, with Imola ready if events force a change. The next test will not be a statement, but the coming weeks themselves, and whether the assurances Formula 1 has received hold as the season reaches its conclusion.