The British Foreign Office has issued a warning against travel to Qatar and Abu Dhabi

Liberty Media has begun a game of chess with Formula 1 and MotoGP. A growing number of reputable sources are reporting that fighting in the Persian Gulf could soon resume after the US elections. If that happens, it would coincide precisely with the period when the sport must decide what to do about its events in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Many find it hard to believe, but the MotoGP event in Qatar on 8 November and the Formula 1 weekends on 29 November and 6 December are still set to go ahead. The sport’s bosses could yet back down at the last minute and cancel the races, but for now the events remain scheduled to take place as planned.

Reports have emerged in recent days that MotoGP riders are rebelling and do not want to fly to Qatar. Meanwhile, US broadcaster CNN has reported that fighting between the US and Iran is on the verge of resuming. The suggestion is that the “only” thing holding it up is the outcome of the Israeli elections (votes are still being counted at the time of writing) and the US elections.

According to CNN, citing two unnamed US officials, American troops in the Middle East have been placed on alert and are ready to launch new, potentially large-scale operations against Iran within 96 hours of an order from President Donald Trump. CNN‘s sources say there are sufficient military forces in the region to carry out such an operation, whose scale would go well beyond so-called “mowing the lawn”. That term refers to limited strikes on radar systems and launchers that can be restored relatively quickly.

CNN reports that, according to US officials, the order to launch the operation could come before the end of the year, though most likely only after the November elections. President Trump has yet to make a final decision, although available information suggests he is leaning towards a larger-scale military intervention.

For now, this remains “only” media speculation, but it is clear that the situation is escalating. Britain’s Foreign Office is evidently aware of this too, having updated its advice for Qatar and Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, warning citizens against travelling to those countries.

“The context in the Middle East remains deeply unpredictable, and the risk of sudden escalation is high. Since conflict began in early 2026, Iran has stated its intention to target locations associated with the US and Israel, including, but not limited to, organisations, businesses, facilities, and institution,” the British government states.

“There have been strikes and retaliatory attacks by Iran and others across the region against civilian and US military infrastructure,” the Foreign Office statement reads.

“British nationals in, or planning to travel through, the Middle East should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions,” the Foreign Office warns.

This is no insignificant development. British nationals make up the overwhelming majority of team personnel and are also well represented among television and media crews. It is now even harder for their employers to justify why it is absolutely essential to send them to areas where fighting could break out at any moment.