F1 boss Stefano Domenicali confirms iconic circuit at risk of being axed from calendar

Stefano Domenicali, CEO Formula 1 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Iconic circuit at risk of being axed from F1 calendar

Imola will host the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix this May

Kevin McKenna

Wednesday 16 April 2025 08:28

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Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali has cast doubt over the future of one of the sport's most famous circuits.

Imola has staged the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix since the circuit's reintroduction in 2020, and will do so again in 2025 from May 16-18.

However, with its contract up after this year's edition - and no sign of renewal on the horizon - Domenicali has admitted that there may no longer be a place for it on the calendar, especially given that the Italian GP in Monza is also on the schedule until at least 2031.

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Speaking on the La Politica nel Pallone podcast, the former Ferrari team chief said: "I believe that Italy has always been and always will be an important part of Formula 1’s history.

"In the future, having two grands prix in the same country will become increasingly difficult as interest in our sport continues to grow.

"It’s something we’ll be discussing in the coming months, although at present, it seems very difficult to sustain this kind of situation for much longer.

"It is becoming increasingly difficult to hold two grands prix in the same country because interest in Formula 1 is growing."

Imola's F1 future looks bleak

The 2025 F1 calendar is the joint biggest in the sport's history, with 24 races staged across the world over nine gruelling months.

A number of new circuits have been added to the lineup in recent years, such as Miami and Las Vegas, as F1 continues to expand its global reach.

Several countries have expressed an interest in adding their names to the exclusive list of F1 destinations, including the likes of Thailand and South Africa - who last hosted a race over three decades ago.

The decision to stage the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps on a rotational basis from 2027 has opened the door to the possibility that new venues could be added, while the Dutch GP will no longer be on the calendar after 2026.

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Monza Stefano Domenicali Imola Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix