Hamilton hopes F1 races in Middle East despite conflict

Lewis Hamilton says he "hopes" Formula 1 presses ahead with its Middle East season finale in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite the ongoing US-Iran conflict, expressing trust in F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to make the right call.

Why it matters:

The decision carries significant weight. Ten of the sport's 11 teams are based in the UK, and the UK Foreign Office warns the region "remains unpredictable" with "a risk of more attacks and unforeseen escalation." Some within the sport's 2,000-strong travelling circus have already expressed reluctance to attend.

The details:

• Hamilton, speaking ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix — a country that borders Iran — said: "I personally want to go. I love going to the Middle East."
• "From what I have read, things seem OK out there, but I don't have all the information, and I don't know what the risk levels are."
• He added: "I trust in Stefano to make the right decision for the sport. And I do hope we get to go there."
• The season is scheduled to conclude with Qatar on Nov. 29, followed by Abu Dhabi a week later, with Imola on standby if the races cannot be held.

What's next:

A decision was initially expected by the middle of this month, but F1 is prepared to wait, with no firm timeline in place. The expectation is that at least one of the races will be staged, and tickets remain on sale for both events. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were already cancelled earlier this year, with a 'Bahrain Grand Prix' unusually set for Malaysia's Sepang circuit next week.