17 May 2023 , 11:25
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This weekend's Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix has been cancelled, Formula 1 chiefs have confirmed.
Imola, where the race was due to take place, has suffered deadly flooding this week and a red weather warning was issued on Tuesday and Wednesday. Officials say that five people have died and as many as 5,000 people have been evacuated. Rivers which have been swollen by days of flooding have burst their banks, encompassing nearby towns and cities such as Imola.
As fears only grew about the safety of the Grand Prix, F1 chiefs released a statement on Wednesday afternoon which read: "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."
Cesena, situated in the heart of the Emilia-Romagna region, was one of the worst-hit areas. Italy's transport minister had previously called for this weekend's event to be cancelled, with mass floods around the north of the country.
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The track was evacuated on Tuesday because of the risk of flooding from the Santerno river, which runs next to the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. F1 personnel were then forbidden from entering the circuit on Wednesday, as heavy rain had continued overnight and into the morning.
F1 president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali added: "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.
Officials say that five people have died since the floods began in Italy (MAX CAVALLARI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)"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."
Red Bull's Alpha Tauri are based in nearby Faenza and said that they were "very concerned about events unfolding over the past hours in the whole Emilia Romagna area, with flooding and heavy rain causing considerable damage". Their statement also noted: "The team's factory is currently unaffected and everything is being done to ensure the safety of our employees and their families."
The Emilia-Romagna GP was set to be the sixth race of the 2023 season and marked the first of three events on consecutive weekends, followed by Monaco and Spain. F1 chiefs could look at options for rescheduling the race, although it's considered unlikely that drivers will make a return because of the crowded schedule.