F1 has made the final step toward hosting the final two races of its 2026 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as previously planned.

Imola had been preparing as a backup venue for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix if conflict in the region made holding the race there untenable, but was told on Tuesday that its services will not be required.

That locks in the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races, and means that if there any dramatic late developments in the region between now and the teams travelling in late November, the F1 season will simply end two weeks and two races early in Las Vegas.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem posted on Instagram in an apparent confirmation of the decision, writing that the organisation is 'fully prepared and committed' to run the last two races of the season-ending triple-header as planned.

FIA boss: We are ready for Qatar and Abu Dhabi

Ben Sulayem wrote: "We are ready for Qatar and Abu Dhabi. We are fully prepared and committed to delivering two outstanding Grands Prix weekends and a spectacular conclusion to the FIA Formula One World Championship.

"We look forward to welcoming drivers, teams and fans to two iconic circuits for an unforgettable finish to the season. See you on the grid."

The move to stand Imola down ends months of uncertainty around where and when the 2026 season would end, with F1 repeatedly setting deadlines for a 'final decision' to be made before either blowing right past them or claiming that actually, there was no decision to be made.

This news comes just days after MotoGP, Liberty Media's other trop level global motorsport series, held its own Qatar Grand Prix race weekend without any notable incident at the Lusail Circuit.

Japanese constructor Yamaha withdraw from the race weekend in advance, not content to let their staff and riders head out to a potentially dangerous location, but 18 riders still headed out for the event – as did dozens of Moto2 and Moto3 drivers.