(Motorsport-Total.com) – If Formula 1 is unable to hold the last two races of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the 2026 season would most likely end in Europe. This was confirmed by Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali in a major interview on Wednesday morning. Imola, which was dropped from the calendar this year, is currently favored for the season finale.
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It is still unclear whether the two Middle East races can be held due to the political situation. Although Domenicali emphasizes that the Grands Prix are still confirmed as things stand, alternatives are naturally being considered.
Recently, proposals for a second race in Austin circulated in the media, but the Italian dismisses these rumors: “In this regard, I just want to confirm that the end of the season – if this is not possible [in the Middle East] – will take place in Europe, as we cannot resort to any other locations.”
“What I can definitely guarantee is that we will not hold another race in the USA.” According to him, there was also the possibility of a second Las Vegas race, but Formula 1 did not want that: “We want something that is currently growing, not to ruin it by devaluing what we are doing there,” he says.
“And of course, we must not forget that in the USA during this period we are in direct competition with the NFL. That is a major sport which – I don’t want to say attractive, but many fans watch it. So we have to avoid any situation that would put us in competition with something that is still very big in the USA.”
Where exactly the finale could take place remains open according to Domenicali. Portimao or Istanbul have been mentioned repeatedly in recent weeks, but the Formula 1 boss specifically names only Imola, which according to him “is one of the options.” But: “Nothing is definitively decided on Imola yet.”
Is it not too cold in Europe in December?
A question on many people’s minds regarding a season end in Europe is the temperatures. While it is still sufficiently warm in Qatar and Abu Dhabi even in mid-December, this cannot necessarily be said about Europe. But Domenicali simply dismisses doubts.
“When I look at the temperature statistics for Europe during this period, it is less cold than the average temperature in Las Vegas when we race there,” he emphasizes. “It is fascinating, but those are the numbers.”
The 2026 Formula 1 calendar to click through
Of course, he is also aware that there is no 100 percent certainty about the weather. He recalls, among other things, the Eifel race at the Nürburgring in 2020: “We raced there many years ago and also had a situation where there were a few snow showers that then turned into rain.”
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“Hopefully that won’t happen. If it does, we will try to respond. But I think the weather should allow us to race in Europe even at the beginning of December.”
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Imola?
But what about the race name? As was announced over the weekend, the Bahrain Grand Prix will also be held under this name in Malaysia. So will we also see the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Imola?
“You have seen that we are creative enough to create stories that are interesting to keep the calendar alive,” Domenicali smiles, but does not see this as a proper approach in the long term: “We have to be credible and consistent.”
“But I firmly believe and really hope that the world situation will allow us to return to a normal situation where we race everywhere in the right countries where we want to hold Grands Prix. I mean, what we did with Bahrain and Malaysia was fantastic because we really wanted to enable participation in the Bahrain Grand Prix.”
“But as I said: As a person, I really hope that the situation allows us to live better and hold the race at the place we have chosen in our championship.”
The World Endurance Championship WEC officially canceled its last two races of the season in Qatar and Bahrain yesterday, but the decision will take a little longer in Formula 1: “Due to our structure, we take maximum time to see how the situation develops,” says Domenicali.
“And we will make the decision at the right time. That time will not be before mid-September. As I said: For us today, the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are confirmed.”
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