Formula One bosses were forced to evacuate the Imola circuit on Tuesday as flooding wrecked preparations for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix this weekend - but they remain hopeful the race will go ahead despite concerns.
A red alert weather warning is in place for the region, with wind and heavy rain expected to pound the iconic race track over the next 48 hours. Areas around Imola, which is situated near the river Santerno, have already been flooded.
F1 chiefs are anxiously waiting to see if the Santerno will burst its banks, which could send water flooding into the paddock and the circuit. Staff at Imola have returned to their hotels while the situation unfolds, leaving all 20 drivers wondering if a race will go ahead.
Mirror Sport understands that F1 personnel were evacuated from the Imola track on Tuesday afternoon after the torrential rain continued to wreak havoc.
The teams were still setting up their hospitality units in the paddock on Tuesday, as well as preparing their garages, although the drivers aren’t expected to arrive until Thursday for their media duties. As well as the rain making it difficult for staff to travel to and from the circuit, there were also safety concerns and fears that the generators - which power the facilities inside the paddock - would become damaged if precautions were not made.
It is also unclear whether the drainage system, which was supposed to be in place before F1's arrival, has been sorted and there are now genuine fears over whether the race will go ahead this weekend. There is the added complication that thousands of fans - from Italy and neighbouring countries - need to be able to safely travel to watch the action, which begins with practice on Friday.
All personnel - including teams, staff and media - have been informed to stay away from the track on Wednesday and to stay in hotels and avoid travelling on roads around the region.
However, it is understood that F1 have not yet seriously thought about cancelling the race - and there is hope that the weather calms down. F1 chiefs were aware of the heavy rain and are hopeful that their contingency plans - which are already in place - will ensure the race can safely go ahead this weekend.
This weekend's race is also the first of a triple header, which adds another logistical headache. The F1 circus immediately heads to Monaco before moving on to Spain for three consecutive races, which makes a delayed race unlikely and, in an already-packed calendar, a rescheduled race is also difficult.
The National Crisis Unit has commented on the matter after meetings with local politicians. "It was shared the possibility that, in the areas affected by the red alert, the mayors could foresee, for tomorrow, the closure of schools and roads most at risk, starting from those near the banks and landslide areas," read a statement.
"The invitation to citizens is to avoid travel as much as possible and to resort, where possible, to smart working."
Local authorities in Emilia-Romagna have been forced to evacuate people due to flood and landslide warnings for Tuesday and Wednesday, with as much as 100mm of rainfall expected.
The good news for F1 bosses sunshine is forecast for Thursday, which may improve the situation. The bad news is more rain, plus thunderstorms, are expected on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Three GPs are scheduled to take place over the next three weekends in Emilia-Romagna, Monaco and Barcelona. Races in Bahrain, Jeddah, Melbourne, Baku and Miami have already taken place this season.
Two-time champion Max Verstappen is leading the way in the Drivers' Championship, 14 points ahead of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in second. Fernando Alonso is third in the standings after three podiums.
