Formula 1 Confirms Qatar and Abu Dhabi Races Will Go Ahead Despite MotoGP Boycott

Formula 1 has confirmed that its season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will go ahead as planned, despite the growing controversy surrounding MotoGP's trip to Qatar next weekend. The Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled for November 29, with Abu Dhabi closing the season on December 6, and Formula One Management has told teams there will be no further cancellations. The stance comes after Yamaha confirmed it will boycott the MotoGP race at Lusail on November 6-8, citing company-wide travel restrictions and saying its own safety assessment had not provided sufficient grounds to lift them. Reports suggest two-thirds of MotoGP riders have called for that race to be cancelled amid fears over an escalation in the conflict between the United States and Iran, with rider Jack Miller speaking publicly about the paddock's unease. According to GPBlog, there are no such concerns in the Formula 1 paddock, with drivers not worried about the Middle East finale. Formula One Management is said to be monitoring the situation closely but has repeatedly stressed that the races will proceed. Earlier this year, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were cancelled, with Malaysia hosting the event originally scheduled for Bahrain. The decision sets up a fascinating split-screen finale: MotoGP wrestling with a boycott in Qatar while Formula 1 presses on to the Gulf. With the title already decided in Mexico City, attention now turns to whether the season can end without further disruption — and whether Liberty Media, which owns both championships, can hold both finales together.