F1 is already paying Imola to prepare for a possible Qatar and Abu Dhabi replacement

Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain the official Plan A for the end of the season, but the situation has moved on: Formula 1 has given Imola permission to begin real preparations for a possible replacement event, including the construction of temporary grandstands. F1 itself is covering the financial risk if the race never takes place.

This still does not mean the calendar will change. Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain scheduled, but F1 wants an operational alternative if the regional situation makes either event impossible. Several team figures say a decision is expected around mid-October.

This is a genuine development in the story: Imola is no longer merely a theoretical Plan B. The backup plan is now funded and physically being prepared.