F1 forced to break with tradition for expected season finale in Imola

Although Formula One Management continues to insist that Grands Prix in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will take place, GPblog hears in the F1 paddock that teams have already been assured they will not need to travel to the Middle East. The situation in the Middle East remains too unstable to guarantee the safety of the F1 circus and all its staff.

All teams are working in the background on a race in Imola, Italy, where hotels across the wider area have now been fully booked by Formula 1. If it is ultimately announced that the sport will end the year in the Emilia-Romagna region, this will be followed by the notice that the Grand Prix will take place at an unusual time.

A European Grand Prix normally starts at 3:00 p.m. local time. In Imola, that will not be possible. Winter time will already be in effect on December 6, and the sun sets at 4:34 p.m. There is no lighting around the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari that would allow a Formula 1 race to be held, so the only option is to run the race earlier on Sunday.

The expectation is that the Grand Prix will start between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m., to ensure good visibility throughout the race. On Friday and Saturday, the sessions will also need to be shifted. Free practice will take place in the morning and early afternoon. Finally, qualifying will likewise not start at the now-familiar time of 4:00 p.m.

It remains unclear when FOM will announce a definitive switch to Imola for the season finale. For now, the organization shows no sign of doing so and continues to maintain externally that racing will proceed as planned in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.