Hamilton gives thumbs up to Gulf GPs despite Iran conflict

Lewis Hamilton expressed optimism that the Formula One world championship will conclude with races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for this year, despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia grands prix were postponed earlier in the season due to the Israeli and US war with Iran. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, believes that "things seem to be okay out there" and trusts the judgment of Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali in making the right decisions.

Speaking ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Hamilton expressed his desire to attend the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, which are set for November 29 and December 6, respectively. He stated that he has always enjoyed going to Middle Eastern races and hopes the sport will proceed as planned. However, there is a backup plan to stage a season-ending race in Imola, Italy, pending a decision by mid-October.

Hamilton also criticized Formula One's decision to reduce the maximum distance of a grand prix from 305 kilometers to 290 kilometers next season, arguing that the races should be longer as they have become physically easier with the evolution of hybrid power units. He believes that shorter races are less challenging and that the sport should demand more from its drivers rather than focusing on battery management.