Formula 1: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix canceled due to flooding

The region has suffered persistent heavy rain leading to heavy flooding and landslides.

Formula 1's next race over this weekend at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix sparked speculations since last week due to weather forecasts and conditional fluctuations.

Finally, F1's governing body, the FIA, has decided to withdraw from the sixth race of the current campaign at Imola after consulting thoroughly with the local promoters and authorities. The Emilia Romagna region was affected by torrential rain at the start of this month, which resulted in the deaths of two people and forced hundreds to flee their homes. Now within weeks, the area is under a high red alert.

FIA's Official Statement

“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 Emilia Romagna 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.” - The FIA said in a statement.

Concerns in Northern Italy

Flash floods with heavy rainfall endanger landslides in proximity. Yesterday the paddocks around the track were evacuated as a precautionary measure. The Santerno River in Romagna, which runs its course near the circuit, can risk the chances of flooding nearby.

A red alert with risks of flooding due to the severity of the weather, it was indeed a safe move from the FIA to retreat from the scheduled race. Though there is no official confirmation for rescheduling this event (at a later stage) for this current season, it is unlikely that the traveling circus will reroute to tick the box for this round.

Imola has been in bad shape, with the chances of downpours not ending anytime soon. The forecast says it will continue to rain like this throughout the next seven days. The local community is busy attaining and aiding in emergency services. Hosting a logistical spectacle at a sensitive time like this would have been outrageous.