Imola is off the 2026 F1 calendar, squeezed out by Madrid's debut as the sport holds the line at 24 races. But the circuit's leadership isn't going quietly. In a joint statement, Mayor Marco Panieri and Emilia-Romagna President Michele de Pascale called the exclusion "by no means the final word," insisting the path forward isn't closed.
The pair leaned hard on Imola's track record: record crowds, a fan- and driver-favorite layout, and a tourism halo for the Motor Valley. They noted the municipality had already earmarked 2026 budget for the race, expecting to recover the 2023 edition lost to flooding. The original 2021 contract only ran through 2025, and they concede the calendar math was always brutal.
Translation: Imola wants back in for 2027. With Madrid locked, Spa and others on rotation deals, and Liberty eyeing further global expansion, the Italian classic's road back won't be short.
Read the full story at Motorsport.com