F1 have confirmed that the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix has been postponed until further notice due to flooding in northern Italy which has severely impacted the area surrounding the circuit. There had been calls to cancel the event as talks were held at “high-level” on Wednesday, the second day that F1 personnel were banished from the circuit.
Staff working at Imola prior to the GP had been told to leave on Tuesday afternoon as a precautionary measure due to flooding in the nearby Santerno river, they were then told to keep away on Wednesday amid heavy rain that had continued into the next day.
Three people have been confirmed dead by the Italian authorities and some 5,000 evacuated while others had been told to move to higher ground, prompting the F1 to call off Sunday’s race to not further disrupt the emergency services in the area and they felt that the GP could not be held safely.
After discussions had been held by the relevant parties, F1 put out a statement that read: “The Formula 1 community wants to send its thoughts to the people and communities affected by the recent events in the Emilia-Romagna region. We also want to pay tribute to the work of the emergency services who are doing everything they can to help those in need.
“Following discussions between Formula 1, the President of the FIA, the competent authorities including the relevant Ministers, the President of the Automobile Club of Italy, the President of Emilia Romagna Region, the Mayor of the City and the promoter the decision has been taken not to proceed with the Grand Prix this weekend in Imola.
“The decision has been taken because it is not possible to safely hold the event for our fans, the teams and our personnel and it is the right and responsible thing to do given the situation faced by the towns and cities in the region. It would not be right to put further pressure on the local authorities and emergency services at this difficult time.”
The race was due to be the sixth of the season but while authorities will attempt to find a date, the BBC have claimed that it is unlikely that Imola will make a return this season due to the crowded schedule.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “It is such a tragedy to see what has happened to Imola and Emilia-Romagna, the town and region that I grew up in, and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the flooding and the families and communities affected. I want to express my gratitude and admiration for the incredible emergency services who are working tirelessly to help those who need help and alleviate the situation – they are heroes and the whole of Italy is proud of them.
“The decision that has been taken is the right one for everyone in the local communities and the F1 family as we need to ensure safety and not create extra burden for the authorities while they deal with this very awful situation.”
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem added: “My thoughts and those of the entire FIA family are with those affected by the terrible situation in the Emilia Romagna region. The safety of everyone involved and recovery efforts are the top priority at this time.”
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