F1 funds Imola grandstands as secret Plan B while Abu Dhabi remains season finale

Formula 1 has authorised the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola to begin full race preparations — including the construction of temporary grandstands — as a contingency finale for the 2026 season, with F1 bearing all associated financial risk. Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain the official Plan A, but Formula One Management has moved quietly to ensure a viable alternative exists after the Las Vegas Grand Prix in any scenario.

Sources within F1 told Motorsport.com that Imola’s organisers have been given the green light to proceed as though the Emilia-Romagna race will definitively take place. Crucially, F1 is covering every cost involved, meaning the Italian circuit faces no financial exposure regardless of whether the race ultimately goes ahead.

The contingency planning reflects the sport’s concern over continued unrest in the Middle East. Should the situation escalate in the weeks before the scheduled Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, F1 cannot afford to be caught without a ready replacement. The financial attractiveness of those two Middle Eastern race weekends means the sport is keen to delay any final decision for as long as possible.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali had initially indicated a decision would be reached in mid-September, but that timeline has since shifted. Several team principals now point to mid-October as the likely window for clarity, though F1 has stressed there is no firm deadline. From a logistical standpoint, sources say there is limited urgency provided Imola is fully prepared to host a race on the first weekend of December.

Team principals speaking at Thursday’s press conference in Baku confirmed they have been briefed on the situation and expressed little immediate concern. The arrangement effectively transfers the financial burden of uncertainty entirely onto F1 itself — an unusual step that underlines just how seriously the sport is treating the prospect of losing its traditional season-ending double-header.