Formula 1 grand prix called off due to major flooding

The race had been due to take place this weekend

The region has experienced widespread flooding in recent days. At least three people have been killed and authorities have urged people to move to higher ground.

After discussions between race organisers and local authorities, it was concluded that cancelling this weekend's race was "the right and responsible thing to do" so as not to disrupt the efforts of emergency services dealing with problems across the area.

F1 president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali 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.

"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."

The decision comes after a red weather warning was issued for the region on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Racing team Alpha Tauri, who are based in nearby Faenza, said in a statement 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".

They added that the team's factory is "currently unaffected and everything is being done to ensure the safety of our employees and their families."

Due to the already-congested nature of this season's race calendar, it is unlikely the race will be able to be rearranged.

There had been due to be a record-breaking 23 races in the 2023 season, but this is likely to now be reduced to 22 following the cancellation.

The Imola race was due to be the sixth race of the 2023 season and the first of three consecutive race weekends in Europe.

With it's cancellation, the next race will be the iconic Monaco GP next weekend, followed by the Spanish GP on the first weekend of June.

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