Formula 1 should have been racing on Sunday – but force majeure got in the way.
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was due to be the first in a European triple-header. However, it quickly became clear that it was not going to be practical or appropriate to hold such a large-scale event while surrounding towns were under water and thousands of people were displaced from their homes.
And so F1 chiefs made the refreshingly swift decision to cancel the race weekend. As much as we were all looking forward to another Grand Prix Sunday, the last thing anyone in the Emilia Romagna region needed was more people flocking to the area and emergency service workers having their attention divided further.
In the official statement, F1 was notably non-committal regarding the Imola race. Words like "cancelled" and "postponed" were avoided, to give themselves plenty of wriggle room.
The preferred option would be to reschedule the event for later in the year. But there is understanding among F1 chiefs that it will most likely not be possible to do so – given how jam-packed the calendar is already.
That means race organisers will be off the hook for the usual hosting fee of between £15-20m. And that will be very welcome news considering they already have the burden of refunding a six-figure number of tickets to spectators who were due to attend the Grand Prix.
While it will be a financial blow, there are currently no concerns that the race might not be able to survive. F1 should also not be too adversely affected by the loss of the hosting fee as European races like the one at Imola command much lower fees than some of the newer events, such as in Miami and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, more immediate attentions turn to the next race, just a week away. Teams had already transported their equipment to the Imola track and set a lot of it up before the race was called off, meaning it had to be disassembled again ready to be move.
Essential staff were allowed back into the paddock on Thursday to begin that process. The flooding did not affect the circuit too badly – but many roads in the region were rendered impassable by the deluge which has presented some challenges.
Teams have had to use some alternative routes to transport freight out of the badly affected areas but, by and large, disruption has been minimal. Had the Imola race gone ahead, then the disassembly and transport process would not have begun until afterwards and so they have had an earlier start than usual.
F1 does not anticipate any delays of problems in beginning the Monaco Grand Prix weekend on schedule. Mirror Sport understands any suggestions to the contrary are unfounded and untrue. In fact, a lot of equipment has already arrived in the Principality and is being set up even earlier than normal.
Meanwhile, in the absence of a race today, Max Verstappen's esports outfit Team Redline is hosting a virtual race in which the Dutchman will be competing. And Williams is hosting its own charity race event with team boss James Vowles and driver Alex Albon taking part along with a host of guests including Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
