Severe weather warnings have been issued for the Emilia-Romagna region, following days of heavy rainfall and flooding.
Photo Credit: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
Formula 1 personnel working on-site to prepare for the race had been asked to evacuate already on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning they were advised not to travel to the circuit at all. Multiple sources shared updates and images of flooded roads, infrastructure, and track facilities, putting a question mark over whether the race—scheduled to take place at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola between the 19th and 21st of May—would go ahead.
F1 has now issued an official statement confirming its decision to cancel the upcoming race due to the unprecedented circumstances.
It reads: “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.”
This is the second time the region has been badly impacted by extreme weather this month. Just two weeks ago, the AlphaTauri team released a statement expressing their sympathy and concern regarding the devastating floods sweeping through the city of Faenza, where the Scuderia AlphaTauri factory is located.
It remains unclear whether the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix has been cancelled completely, or whether it will be postponed to a later date, with tentative suggestions hinting at a potential early August slot.
