The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was canceled this weekend due to major flooding in the area.
Discussions on Wednesday between local authorities and race organizers at Imola in Italy concluded the event could not proceed safely.
Additionally, there was a desire not to dilute the efforts of the emergency services dealing with issues across the region.
F1 said canceling the race was “the right and responsible thing to do”.
F1 chairman and chief executive Stefano Domenicali said: “It is such a tragedy to see what happened to Imola and Emilia-Romagna, the city and region in which I grown, and my thoughts and prayers are with the flood victims 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 an additional burden for the authorities as they deal with this very horrific situation. ” The decision comes after a red weather warning was issued for the region on Tuesday and Wednesday.
There have been widespread floods in the Emilia-Romagna region. At least three people were killed and authorities warned people to move to higher ground.
Red Bull’s Alpha Tauri team, based in Faenza, said in a statement that they were “very concerned about the events that have taken place in recent hours throughout the Emilia-Romagna region, with floods and heavy rain causing extensive damage.”
The statement added: “The team factory is currently unaffected and everything is being done to ensure the safety of our employees and their families.”
Ferrari’s Maranello factory is just over 80km northwest of Imola and also in the affected area.
The track was evacuated on Tuesday due to the risk of flooding from the Santerno River, which flows next to the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
F1 staff were barred from entering the circuit on Wednesday as heavy rain continued overnight and into the morning.
The Emilia-Romagna GP was due to be the sixth race of the season and was the first of three events over consecutive weekends, followed by Monaco and Spain.
F1 will consider options to reschedule the race, but it is unlikely to make a return due to the busy schedule.
There had been plans for a record 23-race calendar in 2023, but the cancellation of Imola means the calendar will be reduced to 22, like last year.
