F1 season finale could move to Imola as Abu Dhabi faces uncertainty – Formula 1 could be heading for a spectacular change to its 2026 calendar, with Imola reportedly emerging as the leading candidate to host the season finale if the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix cannot take place.
According to Sport Bild, discussions between Formula 1 and the FIA are continuing behind closed doors, with the historic Italian circuit currently understood to be ahead of Portimao, Barcelona and Istanbul as a potential replacement.
Imola reportedly leads replacement options
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled to close the 2026 Formula 1 season on December 6, but uncertainty surrounding the Middle East has raised questions over whether the event can go ahead as planned.
Sport Bild reports that Imola has emerged as the preferred alternative should a replacement race be required. The circuit, which has hosted Formula 1 regularly in recent years, would provide a very different setting for the championship finale.
Portimao in Portugal, Barcelona in Spain and Istanbul in Turkey are also understood to have been considered as possible alternatives.
At this stage, however, the Imola proposal remains a reported contingency plan rather than a confirmed change to the calendar.
Qatar race also facing uncertainty
The situation could have wider consequences for the closing stages of the 2026 season.
The Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled for November 29, one week before Abu Dhabi, and is also reportedly under threat because of the continuing instability in the region.
According to the report, Qatar could be removed from the calendar without a replacement if the race cannot take place. That would leave the Abu Dhabi event as the only remaining race potentially requiring a substitute venue.
The Middle East situation has already forced changes to the 2026 calendar. The Saudi Arabian and Bahrain Grands Prix were cancelled earlier in the season, while Malaysia was subsequently added to the schedule as a replacement for Bahrain, with the race set for October 4.
Imola could create extraordinary finale
A return to Imola for the final race would add another layer of significance to the championship battle.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli is currently challenging for the 2026 world championship, and a season finale at his home circuit would potentially give the 20-year-old Italian an extraordinary opportunity to fight for the title in front of his home crowd.
If Antonelli were to arrive at Imola still in contention, the atmosphere around the circuit would be expected to be very different from a conventional European Grand Prix.
It could also create a remarkable piece of Formula 1 history. Antonelli would have the opportunity to become the first Italian Formula 1 world champion since Giuseppe Farina won the inaugural championship in 1950.
A decision has yet to be confirmed
For now, Formula 1’s official calendar remains unchanged, with Abu Dhabi scheduled to host the season finale on December 6.
Any decision to move the race would depend on the situation in the Middle East and the ability of Formula 1, the FIA and the relevant organisers to agree on an alternative.
If Sport Bild’s report proves accurate and Imola ultimately receives the nod, however, the 2026 championship could finish with a very different spectacle to the one originally planned.
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
