Valtteri Bottas has expressed little enthusiasm for a possible Formula 1 race at Imola if Abu Dhabi is unable to host its scheduled event, pointing to both difficult December weather conditions and the recent Italian tax dispute involving foreign drivers and teams.
The Cadillac driver said the tax situation has become an additional concern for Formula 1 competitors after Italian authorities recovered almost €100 million following investigations connected to income generated by foreign drivers during Grands Prix held in the country.
Italian authorities recover almost €100m after F1 tax investigation
At the beginning of September, Il Resto del Carlino reported developments in the tax case surrounding Formula 1’s Italian Grands Prix, which had first emerged in April.
Following assessments carried out by the Guardia di Finanza in Bologna, the Italian Treasury recovered just under €100 million relating to taxes on income generated by foreign Formula 1 drivers while competing in Grands Prix held in Italy.
The issue centred on the tax treatment of drivers as self-employed workers. The investigation examined whether the required withholding tax had been applied to income generated through their professional activity in Italy and whether the corresponding amounts had been paid to the Italian tax authorities.
The amounts involved, including unpaid taxes and penalties, have since been paid following the assessments.
Valtteri Bottas: “No driver really wants to race in Italy”
Against that background, Valtteri Bottas is not particularly enthusiastic about the possibility of racing at Imola should Abu Dhabi become unable to host Formula 1.
“I’m not excited about the idea of racing there. I’ve heard about the weather you normally get there at that time of year, with fog, early sunsets and low temperatures,” Valtteri Bottas said. “But then I don’t know if you’ve heard about the Italian taxes… No driver really wants to race in Italy because of what happened.”
A December event at Imola would therefore present several concerns from the Finn’s perspective. Aside from the tax issue, northern Italy’s winter conditions could create a very different challenge from the warm-weather finale Formula 1 normally stages in Abu Dhabi.
Bottas jokes about Abu Dhabi’s tax advantage
Valtteri Bottas nevertheless made clear that he trusts Formula 1 to assess whether Abu Dhabi can safely host the event before making any decision on a potential replacement.
“Abu Dhabi? I don’t think F1 would take that kind of risk if the conditions weren’t right,” Valtteri Bottas said.
He then ended with a joke highlighting another obvious difference between the two possible destinations.
“And there are no taxes in Abu Dhabi, right?”
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remains the scheduled final round of the 2026 Formula 1 calendar. Imola has emerged only as a possible alternative should changes to the closing stages of the season become necessary.
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