Sport

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix cancelled due to flooding in northern Italy

Formula One and local authorities agree it is unsafe to proceed with race unlikely to be rescheduled

A picture taken in Cesena on Wednesday shows a flooded street after heavy rains have caused major floodings in central Italy, where trains were stopped and schools were closed in many towns while people were asked to leave the ground floors of their homes and to avoid going out. Photograph: Alessandro Serrano/AFP via Getty Images
A picture taken in Cesena on Wednesday shows a flooded street after heavy rains have caused major floodings in central Italy, where trains were stopped and schools were closed in many towns while people were asked to leave the ground floors of their homes and to avoid going out. Photograph: Alessandro Serrano/AFP via Getty Images
Giles Richards
Wed May 17 2023 - 12:31

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix has been cancelled after Formula One, the local authorities and the promoter in Imola agreed that it was not safe to proceed due to the risks of flooding caused by severe weather.

F1 also was unwilling to potentially add to the burden on the community and emergency services in the region. It is understood the race is highly unlikely to be rescheduled for later in the year.

The FIA said in a statement on its website: “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 weekend at 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.”

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Stefano Domenicali, the head 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.”

Footage released by the Italian coastguard shows people being rescued from their rooftops in Emilia-Romagna after flooding inundated the region. Video: Reuters

The decision came after Italy’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini called for the race to be postponed as extreme weather conditions hit the region had placed the weekend’s race programme in doubt.

Salvini, who is also Italy’s transport minister, said in a statement it was “imperative to concentrate all efforts on coping with the emergency”, including avoiding a traffic overload in the area, which has been battered by bad weather in recent days. “Let’s dedicate ourselves to relief efforts,” he said.

That came after Formula One and the authorities in Imola told teams and personnel not to attend the circuit on Wednesday due to the risks of flooding caused by severe weather.

The Emilia Romagna region has been placed under a red threat-level warning from the Italian authorities because of persistent heavy rain that threatens to cause flooding and landslides.

On Tuesday the F1 paddock at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari was evacuated as a precaution because of the risk of flooding from the adjacent Santerno river, which runs within metres of the paddock and could burst its banks.

Elsewhere in Italy, adverse weather conditions have affected cycling’s Giro d’Italia as well as interrupting play at the Rome Open tennis tournament. Denmark’s Magnus Cort, who won stage 10 of the Giro in Viareggio on Tuesday, said it had been “one of the hardest days I’ve spent on the bike”.

The Emilia Romagna region has been badly affected by torrential rain which caused extensive flooding, killing two people and forcing hundreds to be evacuated from their homes, earlier this month. – Guardian