News Summary
- Formula 1 is reportedly preparing to activate Imola as its 2026 season-finale contingency if Qatar and Abu Dhabi cannot take place.
- Fresh security concerns have intensified after deadly attacks on Riyadh airport disrupted international air travel across the region.
- Neither Qatar nor Abu Dhabi has been officially cancelled, and Formula 1 has not yet announced a calendar change.
Formula 1’s plan to end the 2026 season at Imola has returned to the forefront after a fresh escalation in Middle East security concerns placed the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix under renewed scrutiny.
According to Motorsport.com, Formula 1 is moving closer to activating its European contingency plan, which would place Imola on the weekend of December 4-6, currently occupied by the Abu Dhabi season finale.
The report follows a series of attacks on Riyadh’s international airport in Saudi Arabia over the weekend.
International airlines have suspended or delayed flights to Saudi Arabia, while Riyadh airport is expected to remain closed until October 17.
The security situation does not directly mean that either the Qatar or Abu Dhabi Grands Prix has been cancelled. Both events remain on Formula 1’s official calendar, and no replacement has been formally announced by F1 or the FIA.
However, the latest regional escalation arrives precisely as the championship approaches the point at which a final decision over its end-of-season schedule is expected.
GRANDE PRÊMIO previously reported that Formula 1 teams had already booked hotels around Imola while the Italian circuit began preparations for a possible December finale.
At the time, Qatar and Abu Dhabi remained Formula 1’s preferred option.
Imola preparations are already advanced
Imola is not simply an alternative being discussed on paper.
Formula 1 has already authorised organisers to prepare temporary grandstands and other infrastructure so the circuit can be activated at relatively short notice.
That process has continued despite the championship previously indicating that it still intended to travel to Qatar and Abu Dhabi if security conditions allowed.
The logistical plan would see Imola stage a single race on December 6 rather than directly replacing both Middle Eastern events.
That would reduce the remaining championship calendar by one Grand Prix.
The Italian circuit would also require an unusual timetable because of the limited daylight available in December. GRANDE PRÊMIO previously explained that an Imola finale could need to start before 13:00 local time.
The circuit does not have the permanent lighting required for a late-afternoon race comparable to Abu Dhabi.
Calendar change could affect Antonelli’s title fight
Any reduction in the number of remaining races would also have immediate consequences for the 2026 Drivers’ Championship.
Kimi Antonelli left Singapore with a 102-point lead over George Russell.
Under the current calendar, six Grands Prix remain.
If Qatar and Abu Dhabi were replaced by a single event at Imola, the number of remaining races — and therefore the maximum number of available championship points — would fall.
That could allow Antonelli to secure the championship earlier than projected under the existing schedule.
However, championship calculations should continue to be based on the official six-race calendar until Formula 1 confirms otherwise.
For now, the United States, Mexico City, São Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix remain scheduled.
The next round is the United States GP at Circuit of The Americas from October 23-25.
