F1 cancels Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix after severe flooding

• F1 CEO Stefano Domenicalli has cancelled Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2023
• Parts of Imola were hit by severe flooding following a heavy downpour on Wednesday
• There are big flight cancellations too

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has cancelled Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2023 in Imola, Italy following a wave of killer floods.

Parts of Imola were hit by severe flooding following a heavy downpour on Wednesday, bringing the season’s races to 22.

As a result, of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix call-off, there are big flight cancellations too. Also, hotels in Imola will also have to deal with about 2,000 bookings.

This now shifts attention to next week’s Monaco Grand Prix.

Domenicali took action after communicating with the promoter and local authorities citing that F1 doesn’t want to burden the neighbourhood or the emergency services at Imola.

Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2023. Photo/The New York Times

“The Formula 1 community wants to send its thoughts to the people and communities affected by the recent events in the Emilia-Romagna region. We also want to pay tribute to the work of the emergency services who are doing everything they can to help those in need,” a statement by F1 reads.

It adds: “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.”

Domenicali grew up in Imola region and stated that having a chaotic racing weekend in his backyard isn’t something he was at peace with. He know how bad the flooding gets in the region and it wasn’t worth the risk.

With this cancellation, the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2023 is unlikely to be held later this year owing to an already packed-up F1 schedule on the calendar. This means there will only be 22 races this season and not the usual 23.

Therefore; to avoid paying the circuit a hosting fee of up to £20 million, Formula One Group (F1G) will foot the bill for the cancellation of the grand prix in Imola.

Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2023. Photo/CNN

Although the anticipated £15–£20 million price is a considerable sum that F1G would lose out on in Imola, it’s less than a third of the money paid by Gulf nations like Qatar and Saudi Arabia to become the new “jewels” of the £2 billion Formula One each year.

Fans will receive refunds from local organisers for their ticket costs, but F1G’s decision not to charge the fee offsets this expense.

This was the second time F1 is cancelling a grand prix in the eleventh hour. In 2020, F1 called off the Australian Grand Prix due to Covid-19.

As restitution, Qatar Airways, angled to serve as the race’s title sponsor and is one of F1’s worldwide partners, will receive additional visibility during the season.

Further, Daily Mail Sport noted that TV rights deals are unaffected because F1G, which American giant Liberty Media owns, has already completed more than enough races to be paid in full for the season at 22.