Imola (Bologna), September 15, 2026 – Lewis Hamilton has returned to Imola. The Ferrari driver arrived by helicopter in the early hours of the morning and, once he reached the Autodromo, began lapping the circuit for the Pirelli test session dedicated to the development of the 2027 tires.
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The activity takes place behind closed doors: the racetrack and grandstands are not accessible to the public, but this did not prevent numerous fans and simple onlookers from approaching the traditional spots from which the track is also visible from the outside.
Fans at the spots where the track can be seen
From the early hours of the morning, spectators were seen along the main straight, at the Acque Minerali park, and at Variante Alta, where it is possible to catch glimpses of the track and clearly hear the passing of the single-seaters. The sound of the Ferrari inevitably attracted attention, bringing back for a few hours the atmosphere of Formula 1 weekends in Imola, even if this time without spectators in the grandstands.
Hamilton is engaged, together with teammate Charles Leclerc, in the Pirelli program alongside Ferrari, which today and tomorrow is working on the development of tires intended for the 2027 World Championship. The Racing Bulls are also expected on the circuit, now a regular presence on the Santerno. The program also includes other Scuderia activities with drivers involved in the Tpc tests.
For Imola fans, however, seeing a Formula 1 Ferrari running on the circuit again already represents a special event. And Hamilton’s presence naturally makes the interest around the day even stronger.
In the background, the last Grand Prix of the season
In the background remains the other issue, the one that has been dominating the city for weeks: the possible return of the Grand Prix to Imola for the finale of the 2026 World Championship, in case the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races cannot be held due to the situation in the Middle East. But we will have to wait longer.
The decision on the fate of the last two races of the season does not seem likely to come in the next few days, as initially hypothesized. Formula 1 is reportedly taking more time and the window for a final decision has shifted towards the end of September or the first days of October.
At the moment, the two races remain regularly on the calendar: Qatar is scheduled for November 29, Abu Dhabi on December 6. The Circus’s goal remains, at least on paper, to respect the original schedule. But the geopolitical situation in the Middle East continues to represent a heavy uncertainty and, if trips to the Gulf become impossible, Imola would once again be the main candidate to host the World Championship finale.
December 6 remains the most likely date
Meanwhile, on the ground, some signs continue to be particularly interesting. Imola hotels have frozen bookings for the first weekend of December for weeks, keeping rooms for their historic clients linked to the Circus, especially teams and staff. December 6 remains the most plausible date for a possible Grand Prix on the Santerno
