Ranking potential options to host the 2026 F1 season finale

F1 is edging closer to a scenario in which its season finale isn't held in Abu Dhabi as planned, as the situation in the Middle East continues to be about as stable as a two-legged chair.

Stefano Domenicali admitted on Wednesday something that's been common knowledge for at least a week – the powers that be are at least entertaining the possibility that things might well not simmer down enough in the near future to commit to holding races in Abu Dhabi and Qatar this winter.

Rather than just cut the season two races short and have the showpiece finale in Vegas that we're fairly sure Domenicali secretly wants, it looks as though we'd get at least one extra race tacked on either in the last weekend of November or first weekend of December.

So...what are the options? We took a look at a few tracks for how they'd shape up – some of them rumoured as actual possibilities, some of them just wishcasting. We'll even rate them out of 10! Let's get going...

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Imola

The current clubhouse leader for the honour of hosting the championship’s last race, Imola has the history and has hosted an F1 race recently enough that all of its facilities are pretty much up to scratch. That’s all in its favour.

It’s also, in a season which looks like it'll crown either an Italian driver or the driver of an Italian car its champion, the narratively satisfying choice. Every broadcaster and marketer even close to the sport is absolutely begging for that kind of storyline to wrap up a troubled year.

Why not Imola, then? In short, climate concerns. The coldest recorded F1 race was run at about five degrees Celsius, and those are the sort of conditions teams could expect in northern Italy in December. Tyres will be cold, drivers will lack grip, and things could get quite silly.

If the race didn't have to be held in the winter, Imola would be absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, that's not how time works.

8/10: Probably the most straightforward option available

Las Vegas

Domenicali has ruled out a Vegas double-header to close out the year, but admitted that the idea was kicked around internally.

If F1 raced back-to-back weeks in Las Vegas, this article would not exist, because its author would have been sick out of their eyeballs, thrown their laptop out of the window, quit the industry forever and lived as a nomad with the sole driving focus of bringing those responsible for the decision to justice.

It's good that they won't be doing it, is the broad point here.

-1000000/10: A worse idea than deep-frying your left hand without first removing it from your body

Portimao

The previous frontrunner for the role of emergency season closer host until it was overtaken by Imola, Portimao has a lot to recommend itself.

The weather would be significantly less of an issue than at its Italian counterpart, with temperatures generally resting in the low to mid teens – hardly beach weather, but enough for cars to stick to the track.

It's also theoretically in good shape to host the F1 circus, as it's back on the calendar for 2027. So why has it been leapfrogged by Imola?

Well, the key word in the previous sentence was 'theoretically'. Track officials are looking to get a lot of infrastructure work done before the track returns to the calendar next year, and they're wary that getting things spruced up for a race in the middle of that work would hinder the project significantly.

6/10: Brought down by the track not being sure if it should host and the lack of a compelling narrative

Fuji

Fuji in December might be the most visually stunning race in F1 history, with the crisp winter weather providing a beautiful view of the snow-capped Mount Fuji.

Unfortunately, it's a no-go for a few reasons. While it has the Grade One FIA status that would allow it to host a race, teams would run into the exact same problem as at Imola when it comes to chilly temperatures (although it's less likely to also rain).

Oh, and Domenicali said on Wednesday: "If [Abu Dhabi] will not be possible, the end of the season will be in Europe, because we cannot go in other places."

Fuji is not in Europe. So that's that.

It's a shame, because watching the 2026 cars run out of puff halfway down the 0.917-mile front straight would be one of the funniest things imaginable.

9/10: Shame it's impossible

Donington/Brands Hatch/Oulton Park

They don't have the required FIA certification, and late November/early December is when the UK has recently decided that the first snow of the season should arrive. If it doesn't, it gets moody and rains constantly instead. These would be a disaster.

0/10: Go play them on TOCA 2 instead

READ MORE: FIA confirm double race cancellation as F1 season finale doubts remain

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Chris Deeley - Editor

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