The races at Lusail International Circuit and Yas Marina Circuit remain under review because of the security situation in the Middle East. A decision is expected by mid-October.
Imola is understood to be on standby as a possible replacement for both events if F1 decides that travelling to the region is not safe.
Verstappen said he normally enjoys visiting Qatar and Abu Dhabi but believes the current circumstances are different.
“I always really enjoy going to those countries,” Verstappen told Viaplay. “But when you know that war is very close by and some countries might be in conflict with each other, I don’t think you should go there.
“It doesn’t matter whether there’s a contract or not; that’s my personal opinion. But it’s not up to me.”
When asked if he expected the races to take place despite his concerns, Verstappen replied: “Unfortunately, yes.”
F1 is reportedly becoming increasingly confident that the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix will be held as scheduled, although the final decision has not yet been made.
If Imola is called upon, the Italian circuit would present a very different challenge, particularly with the race potentially taking place in December. Cooler temperatures and a high risk of rain could make conditions difficult for the teams.
Verstappen, however, would welcome the challenge.
“That’ll be chaos with our rain tyres, I think,” he said. “But I’m actually fine with that. It’s a fun track, of course.”
The next race is the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, which has been relocated to Malaysia and will run from 2 to 4 October, with the race on Sunday, 4 October.
