Lewis Hamilton has made his stance clear: he wants Formula 1's 2026 season to conclude in the Middle East as planned, despite the ongoing conflict in the Gulf region. The Ferrari driver spoke to reporters in Baku ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, expressing his desire to return to Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
"I personally want to go. I love going to the Middle East," Hamilton said. "From what I've read, I think things seem okay out there. But I don't have all the information, so I don't know what the risk levels are. I trust in Stefano [Domenicali, F1 CEO] to make the right decision for the sport, but I do hope that we get to go there."
The war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has cast uncertainty over the season finale in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. F1 has not taken official action but is reportedly making contingency plans that could see the season end in Europe, potentially at Imola.
Hamilton himself questioned the wisdom of racing at Imola in early December. "Finishing in winter in Imola might not be the best weather-wise," the 41-year-old said. "It's a beautiful track, but it's not a track that we're going to be doing any overtaking at. And the more races for me, the better."
F1 has also reinstated the Bahrain Grand Prix on 4 October, but the race will take place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Hamilton welcomed the return to Sepang, which last hosted an F1 race in 2017.
"I always loved going to KL. I had lots of great experiences there with my previous team; the track is awesome," he recalled. "It is a circuit that does give good racing. And when it comes to deciding which tracks to go through in the year, that should be a part of the decision-making. We want good races for fans, not ones that you don't see any overtaking in. So I'm very much welcoming it. I'm looking forward to it. Again, it's a super hot circuit. That's gonna be one that's physically massively demanding, so I look forward to that challenge."
With these comments, Hamilton has made his position clear amid the uncertainty surrounding the F1 calendar. The final decision rests with F1 and the FIA, but the support of a driver of Hamilton's stature could carry weight.
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