Tag: Emilia-Romagna GP

F1 matches Ferrari’s $1 million donation to flood relief

Formula 1 has announced it will make an immediate €1 million ($1.08m) donation to the flood relief effort in Italy after the environmental disaster that led to the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix being called off. Torrential rain and severe thunderstorms …

Formula 1 has announced it will make an immediate €1 million ($1.08m) donation to the flood relief effort in Italy after the environmental disaster that led to the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix being called off.

Torrential rain and severe thunderstorms led to flooding and landslides in Emilia-Romagna this week, following further floods earlier this month. With a number of people having died and thousands having to evacuate their homes at times this week, the race in Imola was called off on Wednesday in order to allow emergency services to focus on support and the clean-up operation.

After Ferrari announced it will make a seven-figure donation to the Emilia-Romagna Region’s Agency for Territorial Safety and Civil Protection, F1 has matched that sum.

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“I was born and grew up in the marvelous lands of Emilia Romagna, a place that is living through some of the saddest moments in its history,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said. “The situation facing the communities in the region is terrible, but I know that the resilience and passion of the people in the region, like so many across Italy, will prevail through this crisis.

“We must do everything we can to support them at this difficult time and that is why we are donating to help support the relief efforts on the ground. My thoughts, on behalf of the entire Formula 1 community, are with everyone affected and we want to thank the emergency services for their incredible work.”

As well as the financial contribution, F1 has confirmed that all food and water from Paddock Club, as well as team, circuit and F1 hospitality, has been donated to a group organizing food banks and distribution for those who have been affected by the floods.

Limited team and F1 personnel remain in the region to continue trying to pack-down the Imola paddock ahead of the move to Monaco next week.

Tsunoda helping with clean-up as de Vries gets aid from McLaren amid floods

Yuki Tsunoda has been out on the streets of Faenza clearing debris and mud, while his AlphaTauri teammate Nyck de Vries was helped out by McLaren team members when he got stranded by floods. AlphaTauri’s home town has been heavily hit by the …

Yuki Tsunoda has been out on the streets of Faenza clearing debris and mud, while his AlphaTauri teammate Nyck de Vries was helped out by McLaren team members when he got stranded by floods.

AlphaTauri’s home town has been heavily hit by the flooding that led to the cancellation of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, with some team members needing to evacuate their homes on Tuesday night and sleep at the factory. As the water levels start to subside, huge amounts of damage is being left behind and Tsunoda has been shoveling mud off the streets alongside other team members and residents.

That comes after de Vries described how he was one of those stuck due to the floods on Tuesday night, leading to McLaren helping him secure a place to sleep.

“Tuesday evening, 11:30pm, (I was) on my way to Faenza ahead of a marketing day at the SAT factory on Wednesday,” de Vries related. “It’s raining intense, Faenza is already flooded and I am unable to get to my hotel. Returning to the highway is no option either. Stuck in a little village with one fully booked hotel.

“Fortunately, McLaren got stranded there earlier and their front jack Frazer was kind enough to give me his room. The following morning, the hotel lobby turned into an emergency shelter for people who were forced to escape their homes during the night.

“Post-F1 announcement, I only saw one potential option to get home, which was driving via Firenze. After an adventurous drive through the mountains, thanks to the help from local people and authorities in different villages, I finally got home safely.

“Thank you to every single person who has been kind enough to help me. It was truly heartwarming to see so many look out for each other. My thoughts are with those who continue to be affected by this tragedy. I’ll be back soon in Faenza to meet my team and the people from the region! Forza.”

The Imola circuit only permitted limited numbers of personnel to access the venue late on Thursday to start de-rigging and assessing any damage to equipment ahead of next weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

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Effect on local community drove Imola cancellation decision

Formula 1’s decision to call off the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix this weekend had to be made for the local community, says the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding have devastated parts of the region in Italy, with rising …

Formula 1’s decision to call off the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix this weekend had to be made for the local community, says the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Heavy rainfall and flash flooding have devastated parts of the region in Italy, with rising river levels putting the Imola circuit itself under threat while the infrastructure around it has also been severely impacted. Emergency services are dealing with locals stranded due to flooded homes and cut-off roads, and Domenicali (pictured above) says the call to stop this weekend’s race going ahead was made for both the safety of F1 personnel and with the wider region in mind.

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“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,” Domenicali said.

“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 on them.

“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.”

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem added: “My thoughts and those of the entire FIA family are with those affected by the terrible situation in the Emilia-Romagna region. The safety of everyone involved and recovery efforts are the top priority at this time.”

Teams had been prevented from continuing to set up at Imola since Tuesday afternoon when the circuit was evacuated, and were told not to return on Wednesday. Authorities will deem when it is safe to begin pack-up to move the paddock to Monaco for the following round, with the schedule allowing F1 to wait for a number of days if required before needing to start work.

Emilia-Romagna GP called off due to floods

This weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix has been cancelled due to floods in the region that mean the race cannot proceed safely. Severe weather and heavy rainfall has resulted in a number of rivers bursting their banks, with the Santerno river that …

This weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix has been cancelled due to floods in the region that mean the race cannot proceed safely.

Severe weather and heavy rainfall has resulted in a number of rivers bursting their banks, with the Santerno river that lines the Imola circuit also at dangerously high levels and leaving areas of the track flooded. The circuit was evacuated on Tuesday with Formula 1 personnel told to stay away from the track today while the situation was monitored.

After meetings took place on Wednesday morning, the decision to call off the race was made when the race promoter and local authorities agreed that the event couldn’t proceed safely at this time, while F1 also did not want to place further burden on the community and emergency services in the region.

Members of the AlphaTauri team had to leave their homes on Tuesday night due to flooding in Faenza, sleeping in the team’s factory to avoid the rising water levels.

More details to follow.