Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has hinted at the possible removal of Imola from the racing calendar. The current contract with the Italian circuit expires this year. At present, Italy is the only country that organizes two races and, along with the United States, one of the few countries with multiple Grand Prix. With potential contracts with countries like Thailand and South Africa on the horizon, there is a high likelihood that the partnership with Imola will not be renewed.
In May, Formula 1 travels to the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari for the so-called Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix – colloquially known as ‘just’ Imola. Meanwhile, the Italian GP is scheduled for September; it is still held at Monza. While Monza has a long-term agreement and will therefore be a fixture for Formula 1 until 2031, the contract with Imola expires this year. When the race secured a permanent spot on the calendar after the 2020 COVID-19 season, there were already doubts about the sustainability of a second race in Italy.
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has further increased uncertainty about the event by stating that it remains challenging to organize two Grand Prix in one country – partly due to the growing demand from other markets. “In the coming months, we face the choice of whether to keep Imola on the calendar,” he stated in a radio interview with Rai Gr Parlamento. “From a human perspective, that will not be an easy decision,” Domenicali referred to the fact that he hails from Imola.
‘International Interest is Too Great’
“At the same time, I realize that I must fulfill an international role,” he continued. “I receive so many requests from countries worldwide that can further grow Formula 1. Soon, I will have to make a definitive choice. Italy has always played a significant role in Formula 1 and will continue to do so in the future, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold two races in the same country. The international interest is simply too great.”
Ironically, Formula 1 is organizing two races in Spain next year. Madrid is preparing for the first Grand Prix on a new street circuit. This double visit to Spain may only be a one-time occurrence; the contract with the Spanish GP at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya expires in 2026.
