2023-05-18 16:01:23
With everything ready for a new appointment in the mythical Imola GP, and only 2 days before the start of free practice, thousands of fans woke up to the news that they will not be able to see their favorite teams race this weekend. The unusual rain that affects the Emilia Romagna region made it impossible to even consider running.
And it is that, despite the fact that the cars of Formula 1 They are equipped to adapt to various climatic conditions, cWith GPs in extreme climates such as Bahrain, Singapore and Great Britain, the Italian region had never seen such intense levels of rain during May in more than 60 years.
Thus, Imola becomes the first date of the Formula 1 World Championship to be canceled prior to its start, with all the authorities agreeing not to run and prioritizing the safety of all, understanding the difficult moment that thousands of families in the country are going through of the boot
Several pilots have expressed their approval of the measure, among them the leader of the table, Max Verstappenof Red Bull Racing. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by the severe rains and floods in the Emilia Romagna region. We wish them strength to ensure their safety during this period,” said the pilot.
For now, the date does not seem to have a new calendar, with the only space available being the weekend of June 23-25, prior to the summer recess.
What other GPs have been cancelled?
Although the cancellation of the GP in Italian territory is the first precedent for dates canceled in advance due to weather, this type of situation has a long history in F1, which throughout its 74 years of life has had to face suspensions or postponements of dates in more than 20 occasions.
The health crisis
The most extreme case was the one that occurred in March 2020, when as a result of COVID-19 the dispute of the first date in Melbourne, Australia, had to be canceled when there were only a few hours left for the departure of the cars to the free practice of the Friday day.
Due to the same pandemic, 10 Grands Prix could not take place in that 2020 season, including the mythical date in Monaco, a record number that has left China the most affected, which to date is still unable to resume the organization of the test that was held uninterruptedly between 2004 and 2019 at the Shanghai International Circuit.
The Le Mans disaster
In June 1955, the Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh had an accident on the Le Sartre circuit, near Le Mans, losing his life and causing the death of 83 spectators, what is now known as “The Le Mans disaster” . Following the tragedy, the French, Swiss, Spanish and German Grands Prix were cancelled, and Mercedes withdrew from F1 at the end of the season.
protests and boycotts
With the start of the Arab Spring protests in late 2010, some leaders were removed from office, such as Libya’s Muammar Gaddafin and Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak. In this context, the Brahrain GP, scheduled for March of that year, was suspended.
Security issues
The Spa circuit, in Belgium, has suffered two cancellations in its history. The first dates back to 1969, when the pilot Jackie Stewart promoted a boycott when he saw that the necessary security measures for the race were not in place, such as certain containment barriers.
List of countries with canceled dates in history
1. Spain 5 opportunities (1952-1955-1956-1957-1980)
2. France 1 (1955)
3. Germany 2 (1955-1960)
4. Belgium 4 (1957-1969-1971-1993)
5. USA 2 (1972-1983)
6. Mexico 2 (1972-2020)
7. Netherlands 2 (1956-1957)
8. Canada 2 (1987-2020)
9. China 2 (2020-2023)
10. Argentina 2 (1976-1982)
11. South Africa 1 (1981)
12. Pacific (Japan) 1 (1995)
13. Bahrain 1 (2011)
14. Australia 1 (2020)
15. Monaco 1 (2020)
16. Switzerland 1 (1955)
17. Japan 1 (2020)
18. Azerbaijan 1 (2020)
19. Singapore 1 (2020)
20. Brazil 1 (2020)
21. Vietnam 1 (2020)
22. Imola (2023)
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