Max Verstappen has clarified his stance on Formula 1’s scheduled end-of-season races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, stating he never refused to race there despite expressing concerns about the conflict in the Middle East.
This comes after the four-time world champion told Viaplay in September that F1 “shouldn’t go” to the final two races if the neighbouring countries remain in conflict, regardless of contractual obligations.
“Normally I am happy to go to Qatar and Abu Dhabi, but you know, when there is a war nearby, and if some of the countries are in conflict with each other, then I think we shouldn’t go,” Verstappen said at the time.
“Then, it doesn’t matter if you have a contract or not, I think. But it’s not up to me.”
Indeed, F1 has already been forced to cancel the round in Saudi Arabia and relocate the Bahrain Grand Prix to Malaysia this season due to tensions in the area. The war, which first broke out in March, has continued to fuel safety concerns within the sport, with recent attacks in Iran and Saudi Arabia sparking discussions around whether the final two rounds of the 2026 F1 season might need to be reconsidered.
Reports suggest that F1 is preparing Imola for the finale on 6 December should it not take place at the scheduled track, despite FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem confirming to media he expects the final two rounds will go ahead as planned.
Verstappen: Final F1 rounds should take place “under the right terms”
When asked if he might consider boycotting the final two rounds as per his previous comments, Verstappen argued it was not up to him.
“I said that I didn’t want to race there? I just said that I love going there, but, of course, under the right terms,” Verstappen told media.
“But I trust that F1 and then the FIA will take the right decision because they will have more information than us, and that’s what we rely on.”
When pushed further about whether he is ruling out a boycott, Verstappen said: “Like I said, I trust that they make the right call.”
The final rounds of the 2026 F1 season are scheduled to take place in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, across the weekends of 27-29 November and 4-6 December respectively.
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