Imola reveals future F1 return plan after FIA announcement

The Mayor of Imola has revealed that he is working on bringing Formula 1 back to the city, after being notified that the circuit will not be required to host a race in 2026.

Imola had been placed on standby as a contingency option to end the 2026 season in case the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi couldn’t go ahead amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, due to be held in April, were both cancelled, although the former was later rescheduled and hosted in Malaysia.

Imola working on potential F1 return

However, the FIA announced earlier this week that it is proceeding with plans to have the final two races of the ongoing campaign take place in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

In the circumstance where the events cannot be held, a replacement venue will not be sought, with next weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix to be treated as the season finale instead.

But while Imola’s services will not be called upon this year, the city’s Mayor, Marco Panieri, divulged that there is a desire to see F1 race at the Italian venue in the future.

“We note the intention, as reported in the media, to confirm the final Grand Prix races of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, in light of developments on the international stage,” Panieri posted on Instagram.

“We would have loved to experience this historic moment alongside the newly crowned world champion Kimi Antonelli, the teams and our extraordinary fans. A shared dream that today becomes a source of renewed energy for the future.

“Our journey to bring the ‘Made in Italy’ and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix back to Imola continues. Together with President Michele de Pascale, the Emilia-Romagna Region, ACI and our institutional and sporting partners, we will continue to work to promote our Motor Valley and reaffirm Imola’s readiness to host Formula 1.

“With the pride and determination of our region, we look to the future. We are convinced that the best is yet to come.”

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The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, better known as Imola, was a permanent fixture on the F1 calendar from 1981 to 2006, during which time it ran under the title of the San Marino Grand Prix due to Monza’s presence as the host of the Italian Grand Prix.

Following a protracted absence, Imola was drafted in to hold its first race in 16 years in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced several rounds to be cancelled. Despite having been intended to be an isolated event, F1 returned five months later as Imola took the place of the Chinese Grand Prix as the second round on the 2021 schedule.

That precipitated a permanent inclusion on the calendar from 2022, though the race was cancelled in 2023 due to extreme flooding throughout the Emilia-Romagna region.

And although it was granted an additional one-year extension to its deal to cover that abandonment, Imola hasn’t featured since its previous contract expired after 2025.

It remains to be seen if Imola is seeking to hold a yearly spot on the calendar, or whether it could become a rotational option, like Spa-Francorchamps and Barcelona.

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