Domenicali says Imola at risk amid tough calendar choices

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has hinted that the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola could vanish from the sport’s calendar after 2025, as the pressure to accommodate new and emerging markets intensifies.

With Monza’s contract secure until at least 2031 and Madrid set to replace Barcelona as the host of the Spanish Grand Prix in 2026, the long-term viability of holding two Grands Prix in the same country is now under serious threat.

Speaking to Radio Rai Gr Parlamento, Domenicali, who was born in Imola, alluded to a difficult road ahead for the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari – and acknowledged the emotional weight of the looming decision.

“In the coming months we will face this choice: from a human point of view it will not be easy, but I have to exercise an international role that puts me in front of so many requests around the world from emerging countries that can allow F1 to grow,” the Italian explained.

“It is an evaluation that I will soon have to make as a definitive choice.”

‘Increasingly difficult’ to keep two Italian races

Imola made a celebrated return to the calendar during the Covid-affected 2020 season, helping fill the void when other venues couldn’t operate — something Domenicali himself acknowledged with heartfelt appreciation.

“I do not forget that Imola responded at a time of great difficulty, that of Covid,” he said. “When there was a need to find new places, they responded immediately with the enthusiasm and ability of an entire city.”

Yet appreciation may not be enough to save the popular venue. Despite its historical significance and strong support, Domenicali made it clear that Grand Prix racing’s global expansion leaves little room for sentiment.

“Italy has always represented and will represent in the future an important part of Formula 1,” he stated.

“It will be increasingly difficult to have two races in the same country because interest in Formula 1 is growing and it is a situation that we will have to face in the coming months. It is difficult for it to continue for a long time.”

Calendar Crowding and the Cost of Sentiment

The potential axing of Imola mirrors Formula 1’s broader strategy shift — where tradition must increasingly make room for transformation.

Spain offers the most immediate comparison: the Madrid street circuit will take over the title of Spanish Grand Prix in 2026, while the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya enters the final year of its current deal.

Though Domenicali has emphasized the strong ties with Barcelona’s promoters, the likelihood of two Spanish races persisting long-term remains slim.

In Europe, only Spa-Francorchamps has so far managed to negotiate a rotational deal, hosting four races in six years after 2025. If any precedent exists for Imola’s potential future, it may lie there — offering the possibility of alternating appearances rather than a permanent goodbye.

Still, for Domenicali, the personal stakes are high and the decision to potentially remove the race from the calendar won’t come lightly for the Imola native.

“It will not be easy,” he admitted. But as Formula 1 continues to grow into new global territories, the sport's evolution may require tough calls – even at the expense of places that helped keep it alive in its darkest moments.

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