Toto Wolff’s decision ahead of the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix could seriously damage Mercedes’ chances of victory in the races
Mercedes will be looking to sign off their victorious year in the best possible fashion with only three Grand Prix remaining in the 2026 campaign.
Formula One drivers will make their way to Las Vegas next, before finishing up in the Middle East when they travel to Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Toto Wolff has watched his team win the Constructors’ Championship, while his driver Kimi Antonelli was crowned the Drivers’ Champion at the Mexican Grand Prix.
The fact that his team has already won the most important silverware in the 2026 season may have been an important factor in his latest decision, as it may lead to Mercedes losing the final two Grand Prix.
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Toto Wolff allows his staff freedom to skip F1's Middle East races
At the time of writing, the conflicts across the Middle East appear to be ramping up once again after fresh threats from Iran to attack the United States after the Midterm Elections, with Donald Trump warning that he may need to further escalate the nation’s military actions.
The Houthis have stepped up strikes on Saudi airports, ports and oil facilities, while Saudi Arabia has ramped up airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response.
Wolff, understanding that people may be fearful for their safety by travelling to this region of the world, is allowing them to skip the Grand Prix in Qatar and the UAE.
The Austrian is backing Formula 1's decision to press ahead with its Middle East commitments, but the Mercedes team principal has drawn a clear line when it comes to the safety and personal convictions of his own workforce.
Wolff insists that professional obligations should never come at the expense of an individual's sense of security, as reported by F1i.
He made clear that anyone opting out of the closing races would face no disciplinary consequences from Mercedes.
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Toto Wolff backs the FIA decision to continue with the Middle East Grand Prix
The Austrian has backed the FIA’s decision to carry on with their schedule, with the final two races in the Middle East, despite the ongoing conflict.
F1 has since confirmed that it has dropped its contingency plan to move the Abu Dhabi season finale to Imola should the planned Middle East races become untenable.
The sport’s commercial rights holder, Liberty Media, went ahead with its MotoGP event in Qatar last weekend; however, it must be noted that one of the teams did not travel due to safety concerns.
Speaking to the BBC, Wolff made his opinion clear, as he said: “I believe you need to trust what the authorities say. You need to rely on the commercial rights holder, that’s F1, and the FIA as our governing body.
“I strongly support that if someone doesn’t want to go to Qatar or Abu Dhabi, personally doesn’t want to, then I’m very fine with that.
“We don’t want to oblige anyone. There’s not going to be any sanctions, or so on, on teams.
“If you don’t feel right about going there, then I have respect for that, and don’t go. It gives an opportunity maybe to someone else to be tested and to see how another person would perform in the future. That’s how I would approach it.”
Brendan McGilligan
