F1 could 'race in the snow' as war threatens two Grands Prix

The Formula One season could be forced to finish up in Europe amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

F1 boss Stefano Domenicali said he was not afraid to make big decisions if the ongoing war – which has already forced the cancellation of two races this season - does not come to an end.

As has become tradition, the current season is scheduled to finish with races in Qatar on Nov 29 and Abu Dhabi on Dec 6, but both Grands Prix are becoming increasingly unlikely to go ahead.

Malaysia has already been added to the calendar for the weekend of October 4 to make up for the cancelled Saudi Arabia and Bahrain races. Now Imola in Italy could be an option for the season end.

A decision will be made at the start of September.

"They are already sold out," Domenicali said about the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races. "That is an incredible sign of how much the sport is bigger than the problem that our world is living through.

"But of course, if the situation will not be clearer the way that we believe it should be before middle of September, we will take the decision. And on that respect, I just want to confirm to you that if this will not be possible, the end of the season will be in Europe, because we cannot go in other places. So the end eventually will be in Europe."

Italy in late November or December could present significant weather issues for F1, but Domenicali said he was upbeat about the solution.

"The only possibility is to finish in Europe," he said. "I'm hoping that there will be no snow ...Pirelli will not be ready to have the winter snow (tyres)... But now, seriously, I think that the weather should allow us to race in Europe even at the beginning of December.

"The fascinating side is that if I look at the statistics of the temperature in Europe in that time, it's less cool than Las Vegas average temperature while we are racing. So no one knows what the temperature will be and what the weather will be like."

F1 is currently on its "summer" break with racing to resume in Holland at the end of August.