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F2 rebuffs suggestion its title race might be over because of the Iran war

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F2 CEO Michel insists the final rounds are happening as planned and there won’t be a retroactively crowned champion

Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel has stated the 2026 season-concluding Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds “will not be cancelled”, despite the threat of the Iran war.

The conflict, which was started by United States and Israel strikes in late February, has destabilised the Middle East. Some of the lesser consequences in the grand scheme of things were the impact on racing calendars, with F2’s Bahrain and Saudi rounds replaced by races in Miami and Montreal, as the series races alongside Formula 1.

F1 and race organisers are understood to be both hopeful to run the events as planned and keen not to unilaterally cancel them, for evident financial reasons. Still, the world championship has been preparing a contingency plan, with Imola ready to step in on the first weekend of December, in case those two grands prix can’t happen.

Meanwhile, Formula 2 added a race to its Baku schedule in late September, which is exactly what Formula 3 did at its Madrid season finale to compensate for the loss of its Bahrain round – so the Baku decision was viewed as a way to prepare for potential cancellations.

However, Michel insists the championship’s plans are unchanged: “For the moment – and I think it's completely clear – Qatar and Abu Dhabi are on the calendar, and we are going to finish the championship in Qatar and in Abu Dhabi.

“We're following Formula 1 on that. Formula 1 is completely aware of all the situation and what needs to be done to make sure that we exercise those two races in the best conditions – which will be the case.

“Since we have a fantastic championship to finish with a lot of drivers, three drivers fighting for the title, we're really looking forward to have those last two races in Qatar and in Abu Dhabi.”

Bruno Michel, F2 & F3 CEO

Photo by: James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Interestingly, a throwaway comment made by Colton Herta suggested there may not be any further racing at all in F2 this year. “Unsure if that's the last one [of the season] or if we have more, but we'll keep working like we have two more races to do,” the American told Motorsport.com in Baku.

This comment was put to Michel by Motorsport.com and he was then asked if there would be replacement races in the event that Qatar and Abu Dhabi were cancelled, but the Frenchman remained adamant: “Well, Qatar and Abu Dhabi will not be cancelled.

“You know, the drivers always have an opinion on a lot of things. But I tell you now, we want to finish the season there for sure. That's what Formula 1 is doing as well and that's what we're doing too.”

However, pressed on whether the champion might have unknowingly been crowned in Baku – in which case it would be standings leader Rafael Camara – Michel responded: “You know, that would be very sad, let's put it that way.

“I don't think it's going to happen – honestly, it's not going to happen. Because I agree with you, going back and saying, ‘Oh, by the way, the champion has been declared a month ago, but we couldn't crown you’, would not be very good. So, yes, we absolutely want to finish the championship as it is now.”