The United States government has updated its travel advisory with regard to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in late October, while F1 has given the green light to the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, which are set to take place in November and December, respectively. The State Department has updated the travel advisory, noting that there is an ‘increase in potential armed attacks’ in both countries, as they remain under the Level 3 ‘reconsider travel’ caution.
The US advisory states that citizens should ‘reconsider travel to Qatar due to risk of armed conflict’ and ‘reconsider travel to the UAE due to terrorism and armed conflict’. Meanwhile, neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where F1 races were canceled at the beginning of the year, also remain under the same Level 3 caution.
Both Qatar and the UAE were moved to Level 3 caution following the beginning of the armed conflict in the Middle East in March this year. Both countries have remained in the same category since. The advisory was recently updated on October 23, noting that there is an increased risk of armed attacks.
Notably, the United Kingdom considers both countries safe to travel to even amid the ongoing conflict, which does not directly affect Qatar or the UAE. The airspace of both countries has also remained open continuously since July, following heavy restrictions initially in March.
It is important to note that while the UAE has not seen a direct military strike since May, a Qatari tanker was hit by an ‘unidentified object’ in the Persian Gulf on October 30, just a few weeks before the Qatar GP is set to take place in Lusail.
F1 and FIA Adamant That Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix Will Go Ahead
Formula One Management CEO Stefano Domenicali, as well as FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, have assured that the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix will go ahead safely even amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“Based on the information we have, everything is confirmed to remain in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. We had a meeting with the Abu Dhabi promoters, and we’ve already sold 99% of the tickets. This confirms that we must continue in this way, with the assurance that everything is in order,” Domenicali had said in October.
Meanwhile, Ben Sulayem stated that he would not risk the safety of the F1 paddock if he was unsure about the races in the Middle East.
“Yeah, fine. Does this say [mean] that there is nothing going to happen? I cannot predict this. I can only tell you today that there is nothing and the two races are going to happen,” he said when asked about the safety of the races.
F1 and FIA Reportedly Ask for Silence From Drivers and Teams Over Middle East Races Decision
Austrian newspaper Österreich reported that the FIA and FOM released a joint letter asking F1 drivers and teams to refrain from publicly criticizing the upcoming races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The organizers of the sport are apparently demanding that the teams and drivers showcase a ‘united front of building trust’.
This comes following Yamaha’s decision not to participate in the MotoGP race being held in Qatar this weekend. The motorcycle series is also owned by the same group that owns F1, Liberty Media.
On the F1 side, Williams driver Carlos Sainz had raised questions about racing in the Middle East while speaking to the media in the United States. Meanwhile, four-time world champion Max Verstappen had also raised similar concerns while speaking in September. Both drivers later clarified that they trust whatever decision the FIA and FOM make about the situation.
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