The July rumor, although met with general skepticism, is increasingly becoming a reality. Imola is the number one candidate to replace Losail and Abu Dhabi and to host for the first time the grand finale of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, which currently features an Italian driver – Kimi Antonelli – and Ferrari in the fight.
A dream sporting finale, which will reignite the spotlight on the Santerno, which was turned off rather inelegantly at the end of 2025, with the unfulfilled promise to recover the 2023 race wiped out by the flood in Romagna.
There are increasing confirmations about the possibility that Imola will host the Qatar Grand Prix, just as Sepang did with the Bahrain Grand Prix. A particular situation that will see the racetrack not having revenue from tickets (destined for the Qatari organizer who will bear all the registration and promotion costs of the GP) but with very positive effects for the entire territory.
ACI ready to support Imola
Although not yet official, ACI has committed by confirming its active support for the organization of the event: “Given the complicated international situation in the Middle East, we are working, together with government and sports institutions, to be ready to organize a second Formula 1 Grand Prix in our country, already in a few months, in the current championship – declared president Geronimo La Russa – Imola is the ideal solution to host a new GP of the top world championship”.
“We warmly welcome the words of ACI President Geronimo La Russa and the support from sports institutions for the hypothesis of hosting a second Formula 1 Grand Prix in our country. It is a clear signal that confirms the centrality and strategic value of the Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit”, responded the mayor of Imola Marco Panieri.
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“As we reiterated also during our presence at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the channels of dialogue with the Formula 1 Circus have never been interrupted. On that occasion, we continued the analysis of international standards and carried forward our investment plan”.
Looking also to the future
Mayor Panieri still maintains a forward-looking vision: “Our territory, together with the Emilia-Romagna Region, is making important investments in the facility to make it increasingly modern, competitive, and cutting-edge. Imola and Emilia-Romagna together with President De Pascale have been moving in the right direction for some time and we are always ready, as already done in the past, to respond positively. However, to fully seize this extraordinary opportunity and give continuity to a challenge of this magnitude, it is fundamental to work united: a collective commitment is needed and the right resources at the national system level are necessary to support the efforts that the local community is already making.
It is essential, in a teamwork context and to guarantee the required standards, as already done in the past with Monza, to have adequate economic support from the Government to continue the modernization path in favor of public racetracks, including Imola”.
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