Formula One are reportedly considering cancelling one of the Grand Prix events in 2026, with alternative plans lined up.
There are two races remaining in the 2025 calendar, with events Qatar and Abu Dhabi left before the season wraps up.
After being disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Lando Norris leads the way - with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's Max Verstappen in joint-second 24 points behind.
But there worries that one of the Grand Prix events scheduled for next season, where they will be huge regulation changes, will not happen as planned.
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Next season will see a number of notable changes to the calendar, including the removal of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola after the race contract was not renewed.
Instead, Madrid will make its F1 calendar debut - becoming the second Grand Prix in Spain after the race in Barcelona.
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmelo will still stage a race on 14 June - months prior to the scheduled first foray onto the Madring circuit in the Spanish Grand Prix on the weekend of September 11-13.
However, there are strong doubts that the event will not go ahead. According to a report from RMC Motori, word "spread through the paddock" among industry insiders at the Brazilian GP that the Madrid event could be in tatters due to "delays in the project's implementation".
The outlet recently took a trip to the circuit and stumbled across "a massive construction site, with excavators and bulldozers idling alongside vast areas with no sign of recent progress"
The pit building where the garages, the race control building, and the race control rooms are supposed to be is described as "just a marshy lot".
Leading replacement named for Madrid Grand Prix
June 2026 was the timeline set for the completion of the project, which is backed by Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo and Carlos Sainz - who is an ambassador and advisor.
As per the organisers, with 50,000 tickets already sold, the Madrid race must be held in September as planned - with confidence from officials that the deadline will by met despite protests from residents and technical delays.
But it is claimed that a reserve race is being considered, with Imola the overwhelming favourite having forced hosted an F1 race in 1980.
The Italian Grand Prix in Monza is poised to take place a week before on 6 September but having two Grand Prixs in Italy is said to be an attractive proposition of the organisers.
The problem is that Santerno would rather have that event take place in June and Montmelo do not want to budge from their date after ticket sales.
SPORTbible has contacted F1 for comment.
Topics: Formula 1
Josh Lawless