- F1 currently races at Monza and Imola in Italy
- Imola’s contract expires at the end of 2025
- Thailand, South Africa and Rwanda all interested in joining F1 schedule
Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali has indicated that Imola could drop off the series’ schedule at the end of this season.
In an interview with Rai Radio in Italy, Domenicali revealed the increasing appetite from other countries to host Formula One races means that tough decisions over the calendar needed to be made.
“Italy has always been and will be an important part of Formula One,” said Domenicali. “It will be increasingly difficult to have two races in the same country because interest in F1 is growing and it’s a situation we will have to deal with in the coming months.
“It’s hard for this situation with Imola and Monza to continue together on the calendar for long.”
Only Italy and the US host more than one race on the current schedule, and it is unlikely that the series will be looking to reduce the number of races in the latter any time soon given the size of the market.
Related posts
- Where is the next new F1 race going to happen?
- Breaking down F1’s sponsorship portfolio ahead of the 2025 season
Three races – Imola, Mexico and Las Vegas – have contracts that expire at the end of this season. Of the trio, Imola would seem to be the most likely to drop off the schedule as Formula One would still race at Monza to retain a presence in Italy.
Madrid steps in as the host of the Spanish Grand Prix from next season, but the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has an existing contract to host a Formula One race for one more year, so there will be two Grands Prix in Spain next year.
But this is unlikely to continue beyond 2026, so Formula One will avoid having two races in the same country in time for new markets to have a genuine chance of joining the calendar. The Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort will also exit at the end of the 2026 season, opening up further space.
Thailand is in the most advanced discussions out of the countries interested in joining the Formula One schedule, though its debut won’t be until 2027 or 2028 at the earliest.
The series is also exploring a return to Africa, with South Africa working on a bid and Rwanda in the mix.
Don’t miss the latest news and insights from across the business world of motorsport. Subscribe to the BlackBook Motorsport Weekly newsletter here.