Great debate: Which circuit should host the F1 2026 finale if the calendar has to change?

Back where it began: Melbourne – Ben Vinel

I’ll be honest: Formula 1’s likely pick of Imola as this year’s season finale is the best they could go for given the circumstances. The track needs to be ready at short notice and have experience of hosting a large-scale event. But, looking at potential options without venturing into far-fetched conjecturing, I could picture a memorable season finale in Melbourne.

The main hurdle would be race organisers’ struggle to organise the event at short notice, given its city centre location and the need to put up guardrails and build grandstands. The weather would be about as warm and sunny as it is in March, with 24C in the afternoon. Furthermore, this is a universally loved circuit, on and off the track. Energy harvesting restrictions should prevent the excessive clipping seen in the season opener.

That Sunday, the racing was entertaining, even though its ‘yo-yo’ style has since been decried as too artificial – but, let’s be fair, we’d just emerged from the DRS era.

No, it isn’t usual for F1 to run two grands prix at the same circuit in a given year. But under Liberty Media, it has been breaking with tradition. GP names no longer necessarily reflect a country’s. And when force majeure – namely the COVID-19 pandemic – warranted it, we had (actual) double-headers in the 2020 season: races at the same track on consecutive weekends.

So why not return to Australia nine months later? It would be almost romantic, concluding the campaign where it began – and perhaps crowning a new champion there…

Melbourne hosted the 2026 opener

Photo by: Jayce Illman / Getty Images

Happens in Vegas, stay in Vegas – Jake Boxall-Legge

If we’re having a race in the winter, we need a climate that can stand up to it – so that probably rules out a nice, easy trip to Silverstone or an actual Zandvoort swansong. We also need something that has the feeling of a season finale. Suzuka might be a bit too cold.

Sao Paulo won’t be too cold, but it would be a bit counter-productive to ship stuff to Las Vegas, only to go back to Brazil. Kyalami? I always pick Kyalami for these things. Jerez could work, and a nice way to honour F1’s history. We’d relive memories of 1997’s title decider, fitting since Jerez itself was a late addition to the calendar when Estoril defaulted on its obligations to update the circuit. 

But I think we can make this much easier and keep historical ties. The 1981 and 1982 finales were held at the much-reviled Caesars Palace circuit, shoehorned into a Las Vegas car park. This no longer exists but the Las Vegas Street Circuit does. And it’s already hosting the final race before F1 is scheduled to do the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds.

Why not just have a double-header in Vegas on the same weekend? We can mix this up: one practice session, one qualifying session, grand prix on Saturday afternoon (in daylight to differentiate). Qualifying on either Saturday night or Sunday morning, then a night-time curtain closer.

Vegas is initially scheduled for a triple-header with Qatar and Abu Dhabi

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli

Why not Istanbul? – Oleg Karpov

I’ll start with what I don’t want: another race at a circuit F1 has already visited this year. Yes, we had double-headers at the same venues during the COVID-hit seasons, but that was different. There weren’t many other options. The world is in a difficult place again, but we’re not dealing with another pandemic – so if F1 can find another suitable circuit, surely that’s preferable to going back somewhere for a second time.

And there’s one obvious candidate: Istanbul Park. F1 is going back there anyway, with a new five-year deal already in place from 2027. And if there are doubts over whether Istanbul can get itself ready at short notice, there’s recent precedent: in 2020, the Turkish GP was announced in late August and took place less than three months later. Then there’s the circuit itself. It has produced plenty of good racing over the years and feels like a track worthy of a season finale.

The weather is an obvious problem. Istanbul in December won’t be warm, and rain would hardly be a surprise. Then again, that apparently isn’t stopping F1 from considering Imola either. And we know that wet Istanbul can produce some entertainment.

Logistics may ultimately be the bigger obstacle. Imola is much closer to most teams’ bases and easier to reach at short notice. But, purely as a race track, I’d take Istanbul over Imola for a title decider. If F1 has to improvise, it might as well make it worthwhile.

Turkey last hosted a grand prix in 2021

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

A classic finale venue: Interlagos – Haydn Cobb

After gaining a decent sample size of races with the F1 2026 regulations, there should be confidence that fan-favourite Interlagos can provide entertaining racing. There is a promising combination of heavy braking zones to charge up the battery coupled with straights that are long enough to create overtaking opportunities – but not too long to drain the electrical energy and engage in super clipping. Added to the fact that racing at the Brazilian venue has always been exciting, it provides an encouraging case.

F1 is already going to the track in early November, so yes, it would be a repeat event, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Interlagos could also reprise its role as the venue for the season finale, 13 years on from the last time it held that honour. There’s also a guarantee of decent weather.

Logistics could be a challenge, hauling the F1 paddock from Sao Paulo to Las Vegas and then back again. But compared to the original plan of Las Vegas to Qatar, it actually cuts off 2000 miles of air travel. And given Interlagos is the only South American round on the current calendar, why not double the love to a region with a rich motorsport history that is often overlooked in favour of the deeper pockets in the Middle East.

This article is one of many in the monthly Autosport magazine. For more premium content, take a look at the October 2026 issue and subscribe today.