Formula 1 has reportedly given Imola the green light to begin preparations for a possible 2026 season finale, creating a concrete Plan B should the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix be unable to take place. According to Autosport, organisers at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari have been authorised to prepare the circuit and build temporary grandstands even though the two Middle Eastern races remain firmly Formula 1’s preferred option.
As Formula 1 enters the closing phase of a season featuring three triple-headers, uncertainty remains over exactly where the 2026 championship will finish. Qatar and Abu Dhabi are still listed on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, and the championship has repeatedly stressed that, as things currently stand, travelling to both events remains Plan A.
Imola given green light to prepare F1’s 2026 Plan B
At the same time, Formula 1 has been exploring an alternative for some time. If the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races were cancelled because of the continuing unrest in the Middle East, the championship would need another venue to complete the 2026 season. A contingency that was initially only discussed as a possibility has therefore moved closer to becoming a fully prepared alternative.
Sources inside Formula 1 have told Autosport that Imola’s organisers have now been given permission to erect the grandstands and proceed with preparations as though a Grand Prix in Emilia-Romagna were actually going to happen. This does not mean that an Italian season finale is confirmed. Formula One Management simply needs to ensure that a viable alternative is ready if circumstances make the scheduled final rounds impossible.
Imola would give Formula 1 an established European circuit capable of stepping in at relatively short notice. Readers can explore the championship’s current and historic venues through the Formula 1 circuits and Grand Prix guides, while previous winners, poles and other venue statistics are available in the F1 Circuit Records & Statistics section.
Formula 1 reportedly taking on the financial risk
Building temporary grandstands and carrying out the necessary organisational work without knowing whether the Grand Prix will actually take place naturally creates a significant financial risk. However, paddock sources indicate that Formula 1 itself is assuming that risk rather than leaving Imola exposed.
That means the championship would cover the entire cost of the preparations, including the construction of temporary grandstands, regardless of whether the event eventually goes ahead. Imola would therefore not face a financial loss if Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain on the schedule and the Italian contingency is ultimately unnecessary.
If the championship does finish according to the existing plan, the money spent preparing Imola would effectively have been committed for an event that never happens. Formula 1 is nevertheless reportedly willing to accept that possibility because the financial consequences of reaching the final weeks of the season without a workable alternative could be considerably greater.
F1 could wait until mid-October before deciding
Having Imola ready also allows Formula 1 to delay a final verdict for as long as possible. Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali had originally indicated that a decision would be made around the middle of September, but the situation has since evolved.
Several team principals are now pointing towards mid-October as the new timeframe for greater clarity, although Formula 1 continues to emphasise that there is no rigid deadline. From a logistical perspective, there is still relatively little urgency provided Imola can be fully prepared to take over on the first weekend of December.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu explained: “I think Stefano intended to tell us around mid-October, right? So we all know what the situation is. I think Imola is preparing in case we have to do it. I think the challenges are things such as the European motorhome structure and so on. All the people who normally deal with that have winter jobs, so we would need to find alternative staff to handle it.”
Ayao Komatsu added: “But I’m sure that all of us, as a family and as a community, will make sure that if we have to do it, it will happen. Hopefully, though, the baseline scenario is that we can go to Qatar and Abu Dhabi. That would be really fantastic.”
Mattia Binotto highlights the logistical challenge
Audi team principal Mattia Binotto expressed a similar view and confirmed that Formula 1 teams would normally expect to receive a decision around the middle of October.
“As we discussed last Monday during the F1 Commission meeting, mid-October is the last opportunity to make this kind of decision,” Mattia Binotto explained.
The former Ferrari team principal believes the main difficulties associated with a December race at Imola would be organisational rather than technical, despite the obvious questions surrounding winter conditions at the Italian circuit.
“The main challenges are more organisational and logistical, I would say. From a technical point of view, people often talk about winter and snow tyres, but in reality the average temperature at Imola at that time of year is higher than the temperature in Las Vegas during the period when we race there,” Mattia Binotto said.
For teams, therefore, the issue would be less about whether modern Formula 1 cars could operate at Imola in December and more about reorganising infrastructure and personnel after the European part of the season has long since ended.
Imola mayor says the city is ready
Formula1.it contacted the press office of Imola mayor Marco Panieri for further clarification over the possible return of Formula 1. The response confirmed that the city remains available should the championship require an alternative venue.
“Imola is ready and available. The situation in some parts of the world is really complicated and we are ready to play our part. Obviously Formula 1 has its own dynamics, including the management of the Grands Prix already scheduled. In the meantime, however, we will continue talking to them and maintaining contact,” the statement said.
For now, Qatar and Abu Dhabi therefore remain the intended conclusion to the 2026 Formula 1 season. But with Imola being allowed to move ahead with preparations and Formula 1 reportedly assuming the financial risk, the championship is ensuring that a European alternative can be activated if circumstances require it.
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