Formula One rules out back-to-back Las Vegas races if Qatar, Abu Dhabi events are relocated

WEB DESK: Formula One has ruled out staging consecutive races in Las Vegas if the season-ending Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix are forced to relocate because of the ongoing regional conflict involving Iran.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is scheduled for November 21, followed by the Qatar Grand Prix on November 29 and the Abu Dhabi season finale on December 6. Although Formula One has contingency plans in place, CEO and President Stefano Domenicali said the sport would not replace any Middle East races with another event in the United States.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Domenicali said any relocated races would instead be staged at a European venue, with Italy’s Imola circuit emerging as a leading candidate, according to The Athletic.

He added that Formula One would wait until mid-September before making a final decision on whether the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races need to be moved.

The 2026 calendar has already been disrupted by regional instability. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, originally scheduled for April, were cancelled on March 14, leaving a five-week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3.

Last week, Formula One confirmed that Malaysia will host a race in October as a replacement for the cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix.

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“I can guarantee that we will not do any other race in the US,” Domenicali said, citing the challenge of competing with the NFL for audience attention during the American autumn sports season.