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The 2023 F1 Emilia Romagna GP has been canceled due to torrential rain in the entire region of Imola. FI has decided not to go ahead with the event due to the terrible conditions in and around the region.
While the race could be postponed to a later date (sometime in August), the event currently stands canceled due to the sheer flooding in the entire region of Imola. Roads and bridges in the area have been closed due to immense waterlogging, leading to a need for emergency evacuation by the local government.
While the F1 paddock seems to be in decent condition for now, the F2 paddock is completely underwater, ruining the chances of a race.
F1's official statement read:
"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 Grand Prix weekend in Imola."
The press release continued:
"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."
2023 F1 Emilia Romagna GP was to see a new qualifying format
The now-canceled event was to see the trial of a new qualifying system. In an effort to minimize wastage, drivers would have had 11 slick tires allotted to them instead of the previous allocation of 13.
By removing two sets of tires from their inventory, drivers will need to be more careful in handling their tire resources during the qualifying sessions, introducing an unparalleled aspect of strategic decision-making.
The tire options for drivers would have been as follows: four sets of soft compound, three sets of hard compound, and four sets of medium compound tires. In Q1, drivers would be limited to using the hard compound tires, followed by the medium compound tires in Q2, and ultimately, the soft compound tires in Q3.
However, since the event has been canceled, it is still unclear when FI will decide to trial this new qualifying format.
