Motor racing-Imola faces the chop and Verstappen will really feel the loss

IMOLA, Italy, – Max Verstappen has gained 4 instances in a row at Imola however a fifth subsequent yr appears unlikely with Method One set to drop the Italian circuit.

There isn’t any contract for 2026 and Method One chief govt Stefano Domenicali, who was born and grew up within the city close to Bologna, has mentioned it will likely be laborious to justify Italy having two races given the demand from elsewhere.

4-times world champion Verstappen mentioned he understood, with Monza having a contract to 2031 for the Italian Grand Prix, but additionally felt the loss.

“Shedding these type of tracks is a disgrace. I get it from F1’s facet of issues, after all the brand new tracks that we’re going to,” mentioned the Crimson Bull driver after profitable Sunday’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

“You must see it from a sportive facet and a monetary facet, proper? If you wish to develop the enterprise and make it extra common, I get it.

“Personally, after I simply communicate concerning the enjoyment of driving, it’s these type of tracks that made me fall in love with racing typically,” he added. “In go-karting even, as a result of you will have the identical factor in karting the place some tracks are extra particular than others.”

Method One is because of acquire Madrid as a brand new venue subsequent yr, and one thing must give to maintain the calendar at 24 rounds.

Las Vegas and Miami have been added in recent times and there may be discuss of Africa, Thailand and a second race in China. Germany additionally has no race, regardless of Audi becoming a member of Mercedes on the grid subsequent yr.

Imola old-style, with the paddock hemmed in by the river Santerno and the slim monitor appears destined to be dropped after making a return through the pandemic years, until a deal might be carried out on a rotational foundation with different venues.

It’s a circuit very a lot to Verstappen’s liking, on Ferrari’s house turf and with a heavy emotional and historic pull after the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger in 1994.

Previous favourites come and go, typically as a result of they’re merely outdated as vehicles get larger and quicker and extra hospitality and higher entry is required.

The Dutch driver’s house race on the dunes at Zandvoort a throwback to yesteryear if ever there was one will fall off the calendar after subsequent yr and Barcelona, the place Verstappen took his first F1 win in 2016, additionally faces an unsure future.

Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps, a driver favorite, will likely be absent in 2028 and 2030 as a part of its new deal.

“Once you began watching Method One, there have been all the time these few tracks the place you simply… I do not know, you have a look at the speeds, you have a look at how troublesome they’re to grasp,” mentioned Verstappen.

“The historical past of the game at sure tracks. You recognize, it is all very particular and provides you a bit extra emotion to issues. So, yeah, it is undoubtedly a disgrace for me personally, however what can I do about it?”

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