Carlos Sainz has said it is difficult to be convinced that Formula 1's final rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi can go ahead as planned, despite the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict. F1 management and the FIA have maintained that the two back-to-back races at the end of November and early December remain on schedule.
The situation in the region remains highly volatile. There is no resolution in sight for the conflict between the US, its ally Israel, and Iran, and the Houthi rebels have launched fresh strikes on Saudi Arabia. The outlook may also be shaped by the US midterm elections on 3 November, with several outlets reporting that the US and Israel are preparing new attacks on Iran afterwards. F1 has drawn up a contingency plan that would stage the season finale in Imola on the Abu Dhabi weekend.
Series chiefs remain keen to press ahead with the Middle Eastern double-header, based on the information and assurances they have received from various stakeholders. Sainz, who serves as director of the GPDA drivers' association, said he considers it premature to expect a finish in the region given the current news cycle. Speaking before the United States Grand Prix in Austin, he said: "I think on my personal side, and not speaking as a GPDA, it's very difficult to be convinced right now because there's still plenty of things happening in the Middle East."
Still, Sainz acknowledged that drivers have little choice but to follow the decisions of executives, who have more information on conditions on the ground. "We need to follow their lead and trust in their decision making," he said, while stressing that the world could change significantly in the next six weeks and that drivers must remain flexible.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing