F1 may have called off the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix due to localised flooding in the region but the choice wording of the announcement stopped short of confirming a complete cancellation. This has been the case for a number of events in recent years during the Covid pandemic as F1 attempts to work around restrictions to ensure races can be fulfilled before the close of the season. But a release from the circuit outlining a refund process for ticket holders explained the event would not be held, taking away any chance of rescheduling the race. The result will likely see a year added to the existing three-year contract to give Imola a spot on the 2026 calendar. But why couldn't the date of the race be moved this year?
After a slow and steady start to the campaign, the F1 calendar is into the heart of its action with a busy summer period lined up. The only gap for Imola to slot into before the summer break would have been on July 16. On the face of it, an Austria-Britain-Imola triple-header would have been logistically possible, but the presence of Hungary and Belgium immediately after left the prospect of an absurd quintuple-header. The summer break is obligatory to ensure factories are shut down and staff can get away from the F1 world with family, so there was no option to interfere with the holiday schedule. That brings the calendar to the end of August. The Italian Grand Prix is scheduled for September which would have made the most sense in terms of logistics. But Zandvoort kicks off what is already a triple-header at the end of August and Imola slotting in after Monza would spark another five-in-a-row stretch, ending in Japan. Singapore and Japan's positioning also rules out slotting Imola in after the Suzuka event, with the Qatar Grand Prix presenting a quadruple-header in that scenario. Any dates later than this would likely present climatic issues for an Imola event, notwithstanding the season-ending double-header in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi stopping a slot on November 11 - this would create a run of six races in a row following on from In any case, November's season-ending duo of Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi would rule out the vacant 11 November date, as that would then create six races on the trot. Abu Dhabi is contracted as F1's season finale and as such, Imola could not be scheduled after the Yas Marina event, meaning there is simply no space to shoehorn a rescheduled Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
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