As The Race reports, Imola will not serve as a fall-back option for the 2026 Formula 1 season finale, with the championship scheduled to wrap up in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as originally planned. F1 faced a scheduling headache amid ongoing tensions triggered by the US/Israel-Iran war, which had already forced April's races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to be called off. While Bahrain's race was eventually held in Malaysia in September following a deal with the Sepang track, uncertainty lingered over the November 29 Qatar event and the December 6 Abu Dhabi grand prix.
To buy time and maintain maximum flexibility without risking an early finish, F1 devised a Plan B to host the finale at Imola on December 6 if the Middle East rounds fell through. F1 was prepared to underwrite the estimated $10-15million costs for early preparations at Imola to ensure the track could be ready if needed. However, the crunch time arrived, and on Tuesday F1 announced that preparations at Imola were being stood down because it is satisfied with the plans to finish the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Sticking to its approach that events remain on until they are not, F1's decision does not mean the door is closed to future changes if the situation shifts. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who previously called off the 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on the Wednesday before the race due to flooding and scrubbed the Russian Grand Prix in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, continues to monitor conditions alongside FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The multi-layered evaluation involves intelligence services, local authorities, foreign offices, and travel advice from governments. Although travel warnings exist, no outright 'do not travel' enforcements are in place for Qatar or Abu Dhabi, and Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang recently travelled to observe the Qatar MotoGP event.
Looking ahead to the 2027 campaign, the situation is more complex. While Bahrain's status looks stable, recent escalations involving Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement have put Saudi Arabia on government travel-advisory lists, making it impossible to host a race there at present without a dramatic improvement by the start of next year. If Saudi Arabia falls off the schedule, the season could begin with pre-season testing at Sakhir in February and the opening round on March 14, followed by the Australian GP on April 4. Should Bahrain also be unable to host, a repeat of this year's Malaysia scenario at the Sepang circuit is being considered to keep logistics smooth before heading to Australia, China, and Japan.
F1
F1
