The Emilia-Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix, which was due to take place this weekend in northern Italy, was canceled on Wednesday due to deadly flooding in the region.
Formula 1 authorities said they made the decision for safety reasons and to avoid any additional burden on the emergency services, after consulting Italian politicians.
“It is such a tragedy to see what happened to Imola and Emilia-Romagna, the city and region where I grew up. My thoughts and prayers are with the flood victims, families and affected communities,” said F1 Chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali.
At least five people died in the floods and another 5,000 were evacuated, while electricity supplies and mobile phone networks were severely disrupted. Thousands of fans were expected on the circuit from Friday for the pre-race free practice sessions, adding to the load on an already strained transport system.
“I want to express my gratitude and admiration for the incredible members of the emergency services who are working tirelessly to help those in need and to alleviate the situation — they are heroes and all of Italy is proud of them. ‘them,’ Domenicali added.
“The decision that has been taken is the right one for all members of the local communities and the F1 family, as we must ensure safety and not create an additional burden for the authorities while they deal with this terrible situation. . »
Formula 1 staff had previously been ordered to stay away from the circuit after flooding affected much of the Emilia-Romagna region. Some residents of the town of Imola, where the track is located, were asked to go up to the upper floors of their homes. The Santerno River flows right next to the circuit.
Matteo Salvini, the Italian government’s infrastructure minister, had called for the race to be canceled to help get resources and aid to the areas hardest hit by the floods.
“I love motor racing, but everyone else’s safety is more important. My apologies to all the fans, we’ll be back Imola, stay safe,” McLaren driver Lando Norris wrote on Twitter, adding emoticons of an Italian flag and a heart.
It is the second race on the 2023 calendar to be cancelled. The Chinese Grand Prix, which was due to take place in April, was removed from the calendar in December due to concerns over pandemic restrictions.
If the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix is not rescheduled, then the calendar will have a total of 22 races, the same as last year. A calendar of 23 events would have represented a record for the most races in a single year in Formula 1.
The AlphaTauri team, which is based in nearby Faenza and closest to the circuit, launched an appeal for donations to help the local population on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, our town of Faenza has once again experienced significant rainfall and subsequent flooding,” the team said on Twitter.
The Emilia-Romagna GP was supposed to mark the start of three consecutive racing weeks. The Monaco Grand Prix will take place on May 28 and the Spanish Grand Prix a week later.