"I think we shouldn't go," says four-time world champion Max Verstappen as the sport considers whether the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races should go ahead.

The Qatar race is scheduled for 29 November, just 8 weeks away, with Abu Dhabi the week after, but as yet no decision as to whether the races will actually happen has been taken.

The ever-changing situation in the Middle East dictates that, like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, the events should be cancelled, but, aware of the financial hit, the sport's powers that be appear to be leaving a decision until the last possible moment.

The UK's Foreign Office advises that the situation in the region "remains unpredictable" with "a risk of more attacks and unforeseen escalation", but over the Baku weekend teams were told that a final decision will probably not be made until mid-October.

Opinion amongst the drivers currently appears divided.

"Normally I am happy to go to Qatar and Abu Dhabi," Max Verstappen told Viaplay, "but you know, when there is a war nearby, and if some of the countries are in conflict with each other, then I think we shouldn't go.

"Then, it doesn't matter if you have a contract or not," he added. But it's not up to me."

"Personally want to go," said Lewis Hamilton. "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.

"I trust in Stefano to make the right decision for the sport. And I do hope we get to go there."

It's understood that should the decision be taken to cancel the two events, the season finale would move to Imola - the town of Domenicali's birth - where, it is understood, teams have already been busy booking hotel rooms in anticipation.

Speaking in Baku, Audi team boss, Mattia Binotto played down talk that a December race at Imola would be compromised by the weather.

"As we discussed during the F1 Commission last Monday, mid-October is the last call for such a decision," he said.

Asked about Imola, and talk of the event taking place in snow, when the 2026 cars have yet to even race in the wet, he said: "The main challenges are more organisation and logistics, I would think, from a technical point.

"Often we may say wintertime, snow tyres, but at the end, as a matter of fact, the average temperature in Imola in that time of the year is hotter than Las Vegas by the time we've got the race in Las Vegas. So I don't think that's a true concern. It's more from the organisation and the logistics, really. And again, mid-October, hopefully we may do the right decision."

"We all know what the situation is," added Laurent Mekies. "I believe that Imola is getting ready in case we have to do it.

"I think the challenges are, for instance, things like European motorhome structure, etcetera. All those people who look after them, they have a winter job, so we need to find alternative people to do that.

"But I'm sure we all, as a family, community, will make sure if we have to do that, that will happen. But hopefully, as a baseline, we can go to Qatar and Abu Dhabi. That would be really good."

"It will probably be very chaotic with our rain tyres," warned Verstappen. "But taking everything into consideration, I'm fine with it. It's a good track."