F1 Considers Imola as Middle East Races Hang in Balance

Dynamic shot of a racing car speeding at Imola Circuit in Italy. Photo: Mattia Linari/Pexels

Formula 1 officials remain undecided on whether to race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi this year, leaving the Imola circuit on standby as a potential replacement. The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix will take place in Malaysia next weekend, an unusual scheduling quirk caused by geopolitical instability in the Middle East. As the championship approaches the season finale, the governing body and promoters are reportedly awaiting a final decision by mid-October to determine the calendar’s final two rounds. Officially, the plan is to race in Qatar on November 29 and December 6.

Commercial Pressure to Complete the Season

Formula 1 relies on a specific number of race weekends to satisfy complex commercial contracts. The sport’s financial model is built around 21 or 22 events, and a shortened season would jeopardize income from sponsors and broadcasters. Qatar and Abu Dhabi promoters are reportedly paying over $100 million in sanctioning fees, creating a strong incentive to keep the races on the schedule despite safety concerns. There are huge commercial implications, with the Qatar and Abu Dhabi promoters between them believed to be paying $100 million-plus in sanctioning fees.

The Iran conflict, which began earlier this year, forced the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds. Teams and sponsors from the region have lobbied for the races to proceed, as drivers and manufacturers have financial ties to the area. The FIA and F1 have repeatedly stated they prefer the original plan, but official travel advisories from the United States and United Kingdom governments remain a critical factor in the decision-making process.

It was back in April that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races fell off the calendar, just a few weeks after the Iran conflict began. The hope was that the situation in the region would improve and allow not just the final two races to take place, but also for one of the cancelled events to be slotted back in. A gap between Azerbaijan and Singapore was identified as a potential home for one of them, but as the weeks went by, it became clear that it wouldn’t be possible.

F1 management is reportedly prepared to activate Plan B if the Middle East races are cancelled. In that scenario, the November 29 date would move to Imola. However, the logistical hurdles of switching to Imola are significant. The fact that it can’t go straight to Italy for U.K. / EU customs reasons and the time required to do all that means that the earlier Qatar date, which might feature better weather, cannot be used.

The Imola Option

If the Middle East races fall through, the event would be the first European finale since Jerez in 1997. This date shift creates a specific challenge for transport logistics. After the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the air freight normally heads directly to factories in Europe. Instead, it must return to the factories, load the necessary equipment, and then travel by road to Imola.

This route change adds significant time to the setup process. In addition, the team hospitality buildings, which typically require at least 20 trucks apiece to transport, are normally in storage for the winter, but they will have to deployed to Imola—and transport and hospitality staff who are otherwise engaged elsewhere outside the European season will have to be replaced.

Weather and Technical Considerations

The early December date brings weather risks. Locals report that fog is common around that time. This condition would prevent medical helicopters from flying, which is a critical safety factor. Daylight also ends well before 5 p.m., forcing a complete overhaul of the race weekend schedule. Practice sessions and the race itself must start much earlier than usual. The curfew for mechanics to begin work would be very early in the morning. However, as we saw in the COVID times, F1 has a way of overcoming such challenges.

Technical director Mattia Binotto noted that the main challenges are organizational and logistical. He added that winter weather is not the primary concern. The average temperature in Imola during that period is actually hotter than in Las Vegas. Binotto stated that the teams are in close dialog with F1. He confirmed that the decision deadline is the middle of October. “As we discussed during the F1 commission last Monday, mid-October is the last call for such a decision,” said Binotto. “The main challenges are more organization and logistics.

I would think, from a technical point, often we may say wintertime, snow tires! So I don’t think that’s a true concern. It’s more from the organization and the logistics, really. And again, mid-October, hopefully we may do the right decision.”