Formula One Management is delaying its decision over whether to cancel the final two rounds of the season due to concerns over money, according to a report in The Times.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali previously said he will decide by mid-September whether the final two rounds in the Middle East can go ahead amid the war in Iran.

F1 will not receive its huge fees from the Qatar and Abu Dhabi grand prix promoters if it calls off the races. If the promoters make the decision to cancel, they will bear the costs.

But the longer F1 leaves the decision, the harder it may be to organise a replacement for either race. Cancelling a race would reduce the number of points available and could affect the championship situation, potentially even deciding it. Andrea Kimi Antonelli leads the championship by 81 points with 233 available.

Domenicali has indicated F1 has a plan to replace the Abu Dhabi finale if that cannot go ahead. This is believed to be a race at Imola in Italy.

F1 has already cancelled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix as a result of the war. A replacement for the former, titled the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, will take place next week at the Sepang International Circuit.

Earlier this month FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the governing body will be guided by local promoters on whether the events could go ahead.

“Being from that part of the world, we can’t jump the gun and just say, that’s it, we are cancelling and then cancel,” he said.

“Are we going to allow our people, our staff, the drivers or the teams to go at risk? No, of course not. We will not. But we’ll have to also listen to the governments and to the local promoter there.”

Where in Europe should F1 race if the final two rounds cannot go ahead?

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