Decisions on Abu Dhabi and Doha Grand Prix to be taken in September: F1 boss Domenicali
President and CEO of Formula 1 says season could end in Europe if situation deteriorates
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, has assured that the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is on schedule despite the ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East. A final call will be made mid-September, he added.
Speaking to reporters following the Hungarian GP and with the season now into its one-month break, Domenicali said: “With regards to the end of the season, we are in touch with all the other championships.
“The way that we are structured is that we will take the maximum time for us to see how the situation will develop, and we will take the decision at the right time.
“That moment will be not be before the middle of September. For us today, the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are confirmed. By the way, they are already sold out. That is an incredible sign of how much the sport is bigger than the problem that our world is living.
“But of course, if the situation will not be cleared the way that we believe it should be, before the middle of September, we will take the decision. And in that respect, I just want confirm to you that if this will not be possible, that the end of the season would be in Europe.”
The Bahrain Grand Prix, which had to be cancelled due to the unrest in the Middle East, will now be held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia from October 2-4 this year between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix.
The fourth race on the Formula 1 calendar was supposed to be held from April 10-12 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, but had to be scrapped along with the following week’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.
“Together, we have found a new way of hosting the Grand Prix in Malaysia,” Domenicali said. “It’s a sign of cooperation, it’s the sign of thinking wider than what other people believe. And I need to thank the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Grands Prix, the Kingdom of Malaysia, to understand that there was a possibility to bring back a track that has been part of our championship in the past."
