In the Formula 1 paddock, the hottest topic isn't about who will win on track, but where the 2026 season will end. As F1 enters the final phase of the season, Plan A remains to travel to Qatar and Abu Dhabi. However, behind the scenes, F1 has given the green light to Imola to start preparations, as a contingency if the situation in the Middle East forces a change.
According to sources cited by Motorsport.com, organisers in Imola have now been given the green light to build grandstands and make preparations as if the race in Emilia-Romagna will take place. This does not mean it will actually happen—Qatar and Abu Dhabi still constitute Plan A—but Formula One Management (FOM) has to press ahead with an alternative in order to guarantee a season finale after the Las Vegas Grand Prix in any scenario.
Building the grandstands and continuing all preparations without final confirmation of a race logically brings financial risks. However, sources in the paddock say F1 is covering all those risks. This means F1 is fully paying for the preparations—including the construction of the temporary grandstands—and that Imola will not face any financial risk regardless of the outcome. In the scenario that the Imola option ultimately proves unnecessary, this approach will cost F1 money, but the sport has no choice. After all, if the situation in the Middle East escalates further a month before the scheduled races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, F1 cannot afford not to have a Plan B ready to go.
This also underlines that F1 wants to wait as long as possible before making a final decision, while it should not be forgotten how financially attractive the final two race weekends in the Middle East are. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali initially said a decision would be made in mid-September, but the situation has changed since then.
Several team principals currently point to mid-October as the new timeframe for clarity, although F1 stresses that there is no hard deadline. From a logistical perspective, there is still relatively little urgency at this stage, as long as Imola is fully ready to step in on the first weekend of December.
The teams have also been informed of this reality and are not particularly concerned for now, several team principals stressed during Thursday's press conference in Baku. "I believe that Stefano was targeting to tell us in mid-October," one team principal said, reflecting a calm yet vigilant mood in the paddock.
With this uncertainty, F1 fans around the world can only wait patiently for the final decision. What is clear is that Imola stands ready to be the saviour if needed, while hopes remain on Qatar and Abu Dhabi as a grand season finale.
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