Ferrari will return to Imola immediately after the Spanish Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton scheduled to take part in a two-day Pirelli test on 15 and 16 September. The Maranello team is also expected to combine the 2027 tyre development programme with its own TPC running, potentially bringing several more Ferrari drivers onto the track.
Yet Ferrari’s Imola test is only part of the significance surrounding the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit. The Italian venue also remains the leading alternative should Formula 1 eventually need to reorganise the closing rounds of the 2026 season because of the situation in the Middle East, potentially opening the door to an F1 return before the end of this year.
Ferrari heads to Imola after the Spanish Grand Prix
Track activity will continue almost without interruption for Ferrari after the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. Once the Madring weekend is completed, the Scuderia will travel to Imola, where Pirelli has organised another test session for 15 and 16 September.
According to information obtained by AutoRacer, Ferrari will participate in the Pirelli programme with its two race drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Their work will form part of Pirelli’s development programme for the 2027 Formula 1 tyres, which the manufacturer has been conducting with the teams for several months.
Ferrari also preparing TPC programme at Imola
Ferrari’s activities at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit are not expected to be limited to Pirelli testing. A TPC programme – Testing of Previous Cars – is also set to be combined with the tyre test, allowing the Scuderia to concentrate several different activities into the same Imola session.
The programme could become particularly extensive. While Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton carry out Pirelli’s development work, Ferrari is considering using its entire available driver group for the TPC programme.
Dino Beganovic and Rafael Câmara are expected to be involved again, while there is also a possibility that Antonio Giovinazzi and Arthur Leclerc could drive. Imola could therefore effectively become a collective Ferrari test session, serving both Pirelli’s tyre development work and the need to keep the other drivers working with the Scuderia active and prepared.
Imola remains in contention for a 2026 Formula 1 return
There is also a second and completely different issue surrounding Imola. The timetable for obtaining a definitive picture of the final part of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship has been extended compared with the initial indications.
Mid-September is no longer expected to be the decisive point for determining whether an alternative plan will be required for the final races of the season. That window has now shifted towards the end of September and the opening days of October.
Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar as scheduled, and Formula 1’s objective remains to follow the original programme and conclude the championship in the United Arab Emirates. However, everything will depend on how the situation in the Middle East develops.
Only if races are cancelled would Imola come concretely into consideration. The Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit remains the leading candidate should Formula 1 be forced to reorganise the end of the season and bring the championship finale back to Europe.
2026 F1 season could end in the UAE or Italy
The scenario is therefore relatively clear: the 2026 World Championship will finish either in the United Arab Emirates or in Italy. In the second scenario, Imola could host Formula 1 again before the end of this season, becoming the alternative solution for replacing events that might not be able to take place in the Middle East and potentially staging the championship finale.
When Ferrari arrives at Imola for the Pirelli programme and its accompanying TPC activities, it will still be too early to know the final fate of the calendar. A decision is expected later, between the end of September and the first days of October.
Imola is therefore preparing for a particularly important few weeks. First, the circuit will become a development venue for Pirelli and Ferrari. Then, if Formula 1’s calendar needs to change, it could become the stage for the final race of the 2026 World Championship.
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