In the end, F1 was left with simply no other choice than to cancel the Emilia Romagna GP at Imola this weekend.
Extreme weather has battered the region over recent weeks and, after another deluge in the build up to the grand prix weekend, F1 made the early, and correct, decision to go no further with the schedule at the iconic race track.
Landslides and floods have devastated communities and businesses in the region and, as the emergency services battle to protect those most severely affected, F1, understandably, felt it simply could not ask them to stretch even further to support a sporting event the size of a grand prix.
The images from the likes of Cesena, Faenza – the home of F1 team AlphaTauri – and Imola itself speak more than any statement could and, quite clearly, there was no other option than to cancel the weekend.
Of course, it is never a decision that F1 takes lightly given the amount of planning and investment that goes into such an event but these factors all pale into insignificance once you see just a glimpse of the damage that has been caused by the weather.
The hope now has to be that the emergency services can do their very best in terms of the clean-up procedure, and there are already routes and avenues set-up that allow for donations to be made towards those affected.
The scenes from around the region were chaotic and devastating and it is poignant to think of those that have had their dearest belongings taken from them by some appalling weather. Some have effectively no home to go back to.
Hopefully, the region can recover as quickly as possible. It’s a truly spectacular area of the world and we were set for another great event at one of the iconic racing tracks in motorsport.
F1 will move onto Monaco next weekend, but hopefully the support for this specific corner of Italy will stick around for some time to come.
