The possibility of Imola hosting the 2026 Formula 1 season finale is already producing contrasting opinions in the paddock. If uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East were to force changes to the final rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari would be among the possible alternatives. However, the prospect of racing in Emilia-Romagna in the middle of December does not convince everyone.
Valtteri Bottas is approaching the scenario cautiously, pointing to uncertainties ranging from winter weather to recent Italian tax issues, while Charles Leclerc sees above all the opportunity to return to a circuit he considers special. Their contrasting positions illustrate how complicated any decision capable of reshaping the closing stages of the 2026 Formula 1 calendar could become.
Valtteri Bottas raises concerns over an Imola F1 finale in December
Valtteri Bottas has made no secret of his reservations about the possibility of ending the season at Imola. For the Cadillac driver, the concern would not simply be the unusual position on the calendar, but also the conditions that a December race could bring.
The Santerno circuit is accustomed to hosting Formula 1 during the spring, while a winter event would radically alter the picture, particularly in terms of temperatures, visibility and tyre management. Valtteri Bottas highlighted the possibility of fog during the early hours of the day, an early sunset and temperatures dropping rapidly. Combined with the characteristics of the circuit, those factors could make a December Grand Prix very different from the Imola weekends to which the paddock is accustomed.
“I’m not crazy about it because, yes, I’ve heard about the weather you normally get at that time of year. The fog in the morning, the very early sunset and the temperatures dropping quickly. And then, I don’t know if you’ve heard about Italian taxes? No driver really wants to race in Italy because of the recent events, because of what happened.”
Italian tax issues also concern Valtteri Bottas
The Finnish driver’s comments also referred to an issue away from the track: recent Italian tax matters involving some Formula 1 figures. In April, administrative checks by Italy’s Guardia di Finanza were reported in relation to alleged tax irregularities concerning championship entities based outside Italy. According to the information reported, the issue had also generated concern among drivers.
The tax question therefore sits alongside the potential weather difficulties in explaining Valtteri Bottas’s cautious approach to a winter return to Imola. However, he did not question Formula 1’s judgement if the championship ultimately decided that changing the venue was necessary for safety reasons.
“I think if F1 gives it the green light, then yes, because I don’t think Formula 1 would take that kind of risk with all the people who are here. So, yes, if it happens, then it’s fine.”
His position is therefore cautious rather than automatically opposed. If Formula 1 considered Imola an appropriate solution for ensuring the season could be completed safely, the Finnish driver would accept the decision. Even so, his preference for a destination such as Abu Dhabi remains clear, particularly because of the warmer climate and different tax environment.
“Well, yes, there are no taxes in Abu Dhabi. Right? I think everyone would like to race somewhere warmer. But for now, from what I’ve heard, we’re still going to both Qatar and Abu Dhabi.”
Charles Leclerc sees Imola as a second Ferrari home Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc views the possible Imola solution from a very different perspective. For the Ferrari driver, the Santerno circuit would not simply represent an emergency alternative dictated by circumstances. It would also offer the opportunity to race once again in front of the Italian fans at a circuit with deep significance for Ferrari.
The Monegasque does not ignore the difficulties associated with racing there in December. The cold could become one of the defining factors of the weekend and, above all, could make it significantly harder to bring the tyres quickly into their correct operating window. Previous winners, pole positions and historical benchmarks across Formula 1 venues can be explored through the F1 Circuit Records & Statistics section.
Despite the potential technical challenge, the weather does not appear sufficient to reduce Charles Leclerc’s enthusiasm for the possibility. The Ferrari driver focused particularly on the pleasure of returning to the Emilia-Romagna circuit, describing it as another home race while separating his personal preference from the more important question of where it would be reasonable for Formula 1 to race given the international situation.
“We know that a decision will be taken in the next few weeks about the season finale. Imola is another home race for us and I really like that circuit. It will be very cold, so warming up the tyres will be a huge challenge, but the track itself excites me. Clearly, having a second home Grand Prix would be really fantastic. I would be very happy to go to Imola if it wasn’t safe to travel where we were supposed to go: more than whether I want to go there or not, it’s a question of understanding whether it’s reasonable to go somewhere else.”
It is a perspective that shifts the centre of the discussion. For Charles Leclerc, Imola should not simply be viewed as an emergency replacement but as a genuine option if circumstances make a calendar change necessary. More news and updates involving the Monegasque can be followed through the Charles Leclerc section.
Cold conditions would create a major tyre challenge at Imola
The sporting appeal of another Italian race would therefore come with a significant technical unknown. Both perspectives acknowledge that December temperatures could transform the challenge at Imola, with tyre warm-up becoming particularly difficult as the track and ambient temperatures fall.
For Valtteri Bottas, that issue forms part of a wider list of reservations that also includes visibility and off-track considerations. For Charles Leclerc, it is a technical challenge that would have to be managed, but not one that diminishes the attraction of racing at Imola again.
The two drivers ultimately differ less over whether Formula 1 could race there than over how they view the prospect. Valtteri Bottas would accept Imola if Formula 1 judged it the appropriate and safe solution, but clearly prefers the conditions expected in Abu Dhabi. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, would welcome the opportunity for a second home Grand Prix, provided a change became necessary because travelling to the originally scheduled destinations was no longer considered reasonable.
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