JULY 3, 2025

CEO not worried wars will affect F1 season

Formula 1 has a 'plan B' in the event that Middle Eastern conflicts continue to worsen in 2025.

Days ago, Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko said sport including Formula 1 still goes on amid escalating conflicts in Ukraine, Israel and Iran.

Baku is close to the conflict zones, as are Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Some are therefore starting to worry that Formula 1 may not be able to travel to those countries in the second half of this season.

To say something on that is very, very difficult, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali told the Gulf News during a visit to Downing Street to visit the UK prime minister.

After Iran attacked a US airbase in Qatar recently, airline services in nearby locations were disrupted. Domenicali, however, does not think the risk that grands prix will need to be cancelled is high.

So far, we don't have this kind of signal and so we are really hoping not, said the Italian.

So I don't want to even think about it, mainly for the bigger picture and not for the racing itself. And of course, in case, we have a plan. But let's hope this will not be even thinkable.

If races are cancelled, finding replacement venues in Europe may be difficult due to the weather. Europe is big, Domenicali countered. "The temperatures are quite mild in certain areas.

We definitely cannot go in places where there will be snow, he smiled. "But as I said, I am not even thinking about that.

We are not worried at all that this will have an effect on the championship.

(GMM)