Here's the thing: that wild dream of wrapping up the 2026 Formula 1 season at Imola has officially gone up in smoke. As Motorsport.com Italia reports, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari will not host the final grand prix of the year, despite being the leading candidate to step in and serve as the stage to crown the already-crowned Andrea Kimi Antonelli in Emilia Romagna.
The writing has been on the wall for days. Promoters in Abu Dhabi fought tooth and nail to keep their spot, pushing back deadlines while doing everything possible to avoid losing their race. Now, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has cleared the air.
"Siamo pronti per svolgere gli appuntamenti di Qatar e Abu Dhabi," Ben Sulayem posted on Instagram, adding that they are "complessivamente impegnati e preparati per svolgere due grandi fine settimana e una conclusione spettacolare del Mondiale 2026 di Formula 1." He concluded with, "Non vediamo l'ora di accogliere i piloti, i team e gli appassionati nei due circuiti iconici per un indimenticabile finale di stagione. Ci vediamo in griglia."
So what sealed Imola's fate? The smooth running of the MotoGP event at Lusail certainly delivered a heavy blow to the Italian circuit's hopes, as positive reports from that weekend bolstered the confidence of the Formula 1 event promoters. Even with the political situation in the Middle East remaining critical, and despite Trump's decisive defeat in the United States midterm elections failing to trigger an escalation from the president, the rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are currently pencilled in.
Yet, that doesn't mean they are entirely safe. The massive question mark hanging over both rounds has not vanished. According to information gathered by Motorsport.com, if the period leading up to the upcoming grand prix in Las Vegas in Nevada remains quiet with zero incidents between now and then across Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the events will proceed as planned. Until then, however, uncertainty remains the only guarantee.
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