‘Midterm Election in the U.S. Has Worked in F1’s Favor’: Kym Illman Is Confident F1 Will Race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi

Formula 1 Photojournalist Kym Illman has shared his optimism that the last two races of the 2026 season will go ahead as planned despite the turbulent situation in the Middle East. With questions around the regional situation and its potential impact on the F1 calendar, Illman believes the outcome of the recent U.S. midterm elections could work in Formula 1’s favor.

“As it stands now, the signs are looking good. Certainly, the mid-term election in the U.S. has worked in F1’s favor. So, as of today, I am confident that we’ll be going racing in the Middle East come last week of November and the first week of December,” says Illman in a video uploaded on his Instagram page.

Illman detailed that while things are looking positive currently, Imola is still on standby as the fill-in last race for 2026. With F1 paying for all the necessary preparations going on in Italy, the sport will soon have to issue them a directive to halt all proceedings with regard to organizing the 2026 season finale if the Middle East races are good to go.

He added that should there be any issues in the region once they have asked Imola to stop the prep and there’s not a long enough time window remaining, the Las Vegas race (which would already have taken place by then) will be announced as the season finale.

As things stand, the Qatar GP is scheduled for November 29 at Lusail, followed by the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 6 at the Yas Marina Circuit. And away from Illman’s optimism, there are two more factors working in favor of F1.

F1 Gained Middle East Confidence Owing to MotoGP and Golf Tour

Through the video, Illman also pointed out that MotoGP and Golf Tour events were going on swiftly in the Middle Eastern region despite the geopolitical unrest. The bigger boost came from MotoGP racing at the very track that F1 will be using for its race later in November.

While there was a concern related to Yamaha and its satellite team Pramac, which withdrew from the event, MotoGP maintained that there was no issue with the event going through.

The F1 photojournalist even recalled a message from someone in the MotoGP paddock that said the event was going on as swiftly as any other race weekend. There wasn’t even an additional police force deployed for safety concerns, signaling things were rather normal at the venue.

The decision to continue with the Qatar round also carries significance for F1, given that both championships are now under the Liberty Media umbrella.

Meanwhile, the DP World Tour of Golf has also remained a major part of the region’s sporting events, despite the situation. The sport has been able to attract players and audiences to the region while ensuring that there was no safety concern with the event moving forward.

Ultimately, Illman’s point is that the broader sporting landscape in the region does not suggest an outright shutdown of international competition, strengthening his belief that F1 could complete its season as planned.

F1 CEO Remains Cautious With the Choice of His Words

While Illman’s words will fill the hearts and minds of F1 fans with elation and confidence, the same can’t be said about the comments of the sport’s CEO, Stefano Domenicali. While he still expects F1 to close out the campaign in Abu Dhabi, Domenicali stopped short of guaranteeing it.

“This year, we currently remain scheduled to complete our calendar this season and at this stage continue to plan to finish the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi,” read the words of Domenicali’s official statement on the matter.

Notably, Domenicali’s caution arises from the fact that Liberty Media endured a huge drop in its finances after the Saudi Arabia GP was called off.

The Q2 financial report indicated a 38 percent revenue drop-off, owing to the race being canceled. However, the Q3 report has seen a 28 percent year-on-year growth, prompting Domenicali and F1 to keep a positive outlook and go racing in the Middle East.

More F1 Reading

• US Government Puts Qatar and UAE Under Level 3 Travel Caution as F1 Green Lights Middle East Races Amid Conflict
• F1 Insists Qatar and Abu Dhabi Races Go On, Max Verstappen Doubts Teams Will Split
• F1 Qatar, Abu Dhabi GP Face Fresh Uncertainty as MotoGP Riders Oppose Middle East Races Amid Conflict
• How Far Is It From Dubai To The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?