Imola appears as the favorite to host the grand finale of the 2026 Formula 1 season if the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix cannot take place due to the situation in the Middle East.
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Italian officials are already working to prepare the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit for the possibility of a second Grand Prix in Italy this year.
The end-of-season calendar remains surrounded by uncertainties due to the international context. Faced with this situation, Italy wants to be ready to offer a replacement solution and Imola now seems to be at the heart of this project.
Antonelli crowned at home?
The stakes would be considerable since the circuit could host the decisive race of the championship. A home finale would take on an even more special dimension if Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari were still involved in the title battles.
Geronimo La Russa, president of the Automobile Club of Italy, confirms that discussions are underway with political and sporting authorities: “Given the complicated international situation in the Middle East, we are working with the government and sporting institutions to be ready to organize a second Formula 1 Grand Prix in our country, in just a few months, during the current championship. Imola represents the ideal solution to host a new round of the world’s biggest championship. “
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The mayor of Imola, Marco Panieri, has welcomed this stance positively and considers the support of the ACI as recognition of the importance of the circuit in the landscape of Italian motorsport: “We welcome with great satisfaction the statements of the president of the ACI, Geronimo La Russa, as well as the support of sporting institutions for the idea of organizing a second Formula 1 Grand Prix in our country. It is a clear signal confirming the central role and strategic value of the international Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit.”
Financial support requested from the government
Imola has an important advantage: the circuit already has the necessary infrastructure to host Formula 1 and has recently organized Grands Prix. Local authorities continue to invest, however, to modernize the facilities: “Our territory, together with the Emilia-Romagna Region, is making significant investments in the structure to make it ever more modern, competitive, and cutting-edge. Imola and Emilia-Romagna have been moving in the right direction for some time and we are always ready, as we have been in the past, to step up. “
Organizing an additional race within such a short timeframe would nevertheless require significant resources. Panieri therefore calls on the Italian government to financially participate in the project, notably to continue modernizing the infrastructure: “In a context of collective work and to guarantee the required standards, it is essential that the government provides adequate economic support to continue the modernization process of public circuits, including Imola, as has already been done in the past with Monza. “
Italy could thus organize two Grands Prix in 2026, with Monza naturally keeping its appointment in early September while Imola would exceptionally return to the calendar at the end of the season. The decision must be made before the Asian tour for logistical reasons, around mid-September.