(see related)
Formula 1 said Wednesday that this
weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola has been called off
after the northeastern region was hit by a deadly wave of
torrential rain and flooding.
A statement said the decision had been taken because it is not
possible to guarantee the safely of fans, the teams and
personnel due to the extreme weather
"It is the right and responsible thing to do given the situation
faced by the towns and cities in the region," it aqdded.
"It would not be right to put further pressure on the local
authorities and emergency services at this difficult time".
Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said it was "such
a tragedy to see what has happened to Imola and Emilia-Romagna,
the town and region that I grew up in.
"My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the flooding
and the families and communities affected," he continued.
"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".
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