Are F1 drivers happy to race in Middle East? “We are not the ones taking the decisions”
F1 drivers have their say on the prospect of the 2026 season concluding in the Middle East.
Formula 1 drivers have warned that “things can change day-to-day” as uncertainty remains over whether races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi can go ahead as planned.
As it stands, F1 remains committed to staging the Qatar and Abu Dhabi grands prix as scheduled on 29 November and 6 December despite ongoing instability in the Middle East.
MotoGP is due to visit Qatar next weekend on 8 November and the riders appear resigned to racing in the war-hit region despite raising safety concerns and seeking assurances.
There are growing suggestions that escalation of the war between the United States and Iran could ramp up following the US midterm elections which take place on 3 November - two days before the MotoGP weekend gets underway.
Several F1 drivers were asked about the situation in the Middle East and what kind of conversations have taken place ahead of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.
“I think nobody knows at the moment. It can change from one day to another. Things can ramp up,” Cadillac’s Sergio Perez said.
“At the moment, it looks like the right thing from what we've seen in in MotoGP, but I just think that these things can change day to day. So we are not the ones taking the decisions.
“I think the ones that take the decisions, obviously they will have full responsibility on that decision, so it's not for us really to say much on it.”
Williams driver Alex Albon said: “I think generally speaking, we do have to wait and see. There's still quite a few weeks ahead of us.
“It is obviously a sensitive area, and just looking at the MotoGP side of things, I think they're doing the right things, the riders in getting what they want from assurances they're getting.
“I haven't been following completely, if I'm honest, on the MotoGP side, so I’m not a person to be too knowledgeable in that.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc expects the matter to be discussed further by drivers with the end of the F1 season fast approaching.
“Not much more to add. I mean, it's definitely something that I think will come up in the talks,” Leclerc said.
"We haven't necessarily talked about it too much through the GPDA, but it's definitely one of the topic that are probably on the list of things that we need to discuss. But yeah, we'll see what happen.”
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