What's going on with F1's uncertain final 2026 races
Preparations are being made at Imola in case Formula 1 needs to switch its season finale venue but the intention is to continue with races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
F1 is waiting to see how events unfold in the Middle East given the ongoing conflict that forced the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs earlier this year.
At the end of July F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said that "if the situation will not be cleared the way that we believe it should be before the middle of September, we will take the decision".
However, after it was discussed in the F1 Commission on Monday this week, teams are expecting to get an answer by mid-October.
This is the point at which the situation needs to be settled for logistical reasons – even sea freight to Qatar by that point will be cutting it fine for a race at the end of November.
F1 wants to hold the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races as planned and currently preparations for those events continue on the expectation they will go ahead.
But the championship cannot afford for this to change at short notice and leave it without a contingency for a finale after the Las Vegas round on November 21.
That means it has readied a Plan B, understood to be Imola - and work has started to ensure the Italian circuit is able to host a race if needed.
F1 will cover the costs of this work – which includes setting up grandstands – if a switch to Imola does not happen, to guarantee there is a ready-to-go alternative it can turn to if required.
"I believe that Imola is getting ready in case we have to do it," said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu.
"I think the challenges are, for instance, things like European motorhome structure, etc – all those people who look after them, they have a winter job, so we need to find alternative people to do that."
Audi boss Mattia Binotto also played down the weather concerns over a December race in Italy.
He said that while there may be talk about "snow tyres" in wintertime "as a matter of fact, the average temperature in Imola in that time of the year is hotter than [when F1 races in] Las Vegas".
"So I don't think that's a true concern," Binotto added. "It's more from the organisation and the logistics, really.
"And mid-October, hopefully we may do the right decision."
