The sport had held Imola in reserve for a December 6 fallback race in case freight operations and broadcasters refused to travel to the Gulf. Preliminary grandstand work was already under way in Emilia-Romagna. That standby role is now being wound down, with Formula One Management notifying the circuit this week that preparations can stop.

The costs the Italian promoter has already racked up will not be left with Imola. Formula One Management has said it will cover the preparation bill, which had been estimated at $10 million to $15 million for a late build-out.

How the Middle East anxiety faded

The backup plan was drawn up in the summer, when tension driven by the US-Israel-Iran conflict raised the possibility that Formula 1 could not travel to Qatar or the United Arab Emirates. Canal+, ServusTV and DAZN Spain had planned not to send staff, with Sky weighing the same step. UK government travel advice warned of possible airspace closures.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali first signaled the Middle East finale was back on track in early October.

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“This is the direction we have taken, based on the information we have and the assurances we have,” he told reporters at the time.

Those assurances held through November, helped by MotoGP’s recent Gulf round, which ran without incident.

Las Vegas opens the final triple-header

Las Vegas on November 21 now opens the closing three-race run, followed by Qatar and Abu Dhabi. If the regional picture deteriorates again and the Middle East rounds have to be pulled after all, Las Vegas would become the de facto finale, reducing the 2026 calendar to 21 races.

The season has already been reshaped by the regional crisis. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were taken off the 2026 schedule earlier in the year, with the Bahrain round relocated to Sepang in Malaysia and run in October.

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Saudi Arabia is 2027’s question mark

Imola is not on F1’s provisional 2027 calendar either, with its European slot taken by the new Madrid race. Domenicali has suggested the Italian venue could return via a rotation of classic European tracks, but no deal has been announced.

The bigger uncertainty is further east. With Houthi activity continuing to disrupt the Red Sea region, teams are already looking at scenarios in which the opening 2027 rounds have to be re-routed. Sepang is again a likely fallback, mirroring the Bahrain fix used this year.

Las Vegas is next up on November 21, with Qatar following on November 29 and Abu Dhabi closing the season on December 6.

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