Imola finale now an open secret
"The organiser simply can’t be responsible for that"
More and more signs are emerging that Formula 1 is unlikely to finish the 2026 season in the Middle East, with Imola now widely treated inside the paddock as the replacement finale.
Auto Motor und Sport reports that the worsening regional security situation is now affecting several major motorsport events beyond F1.
The Dakar Rally, due to be held in Saudi Arabia in January, is reportedly at risk of cancellation, while the FIA has already removed Saudi Arabia’s WRC round from the calendar and replaced it with Rally Italia Sardegna.
Former rider Heinz Kinigadner told Speed Week when asked about Dakar: "I personally expect it to be called off."
He said insurance and staffing concerns could become decisive.
"The organiser simply can’t be responsible for that, with the entire TV production and the rest of the crew," said Kinigadner.
"Some mechanics have already said they won’t go to Saudi Arabia."
Formula 1’s Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds officially remain on the 2026 calendar, but uncertainty is increasing by the day.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Imola mayor Marco Panieri and circuit director Pietro Benvenuti have repeatedly visited the F1 paddock in recent months to speak with Stefano Domenicali.
The newspaper says teams have already alerted hotels around Imola, while the proposed December 6 race would start at 12 noon because of the early winter darkness.
That increasingly makes Imola look less like a contingency and more like the paddock’s working assumption for the season finale.
The uncertainty may not end with 2026 either, with the newly announced 2027 calendar still featuring Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite the same Iran-related security concerns.