F1 Stands Imola Down: Season Will End in Qatar and Abu Dhabi

Formula 1 has confirmed that Imola will not be needed as a replacement race, and the 2026 season will finish in the Middle East as originally planned.

Imola had been lined up as a backup venue for the Abu Dhabi finale amid concerns over the regional conflict, after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were cancelled in April. F1 has now informed the Italian circuit that it will not be required at the end of the season.

The Qatar Grand Prix stays scheduled for 29 November, followed by the Abu Dhabi finale on 6 December. If circumstances were to prevent those races from taking place, the championship could instead conclude in Las Vegas on 21 November, but that remains a contingency rather than a confirmed calendar change.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem posted on Instagram that the organisation is “fully prepared and committed to delivering two fantastic race weekends for a spectacular conclusion to the FIA Formula One World Championship.” Key stakeholders held a meeting on Tuesday 10 November to discuss the contingency plans.

Sources: Grande Premio; Hypebeast; The Saba My News. Photo: Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, by Monia Mascagni, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.