Storms in Italy also affect Formula 1: staff of teams and F1 itself banned from circuit | formula 1

The international motorsport federation FIA holds its heart for the Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna in Formula 1 next weekend. Meteorologists predict heavy rainfall for northern Italy for these days. Tens of millimeters of rain are expected around the Imola circuit, where the grand prix takes place, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Emilia-Romagna has been ravaged for days by strong winds and thunderstorms, which led to numerous floods. The predictions will continue for another ten days anyway. The so-called Protection Civile of the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna already issued a Code Red on Monday evening for extreme weather today and tomorrow. Locally, 50 to 100 millimeters of rain could fall.

The Imola circuit was already evacuated on Tuesday due to the heavy rainfall and the circuit will also remain closed on Wednesday for safety reasons. This ensures that the staff of Formula 1 and of the teams are severely limited in the performance of their duties. A Grand Prix needs a lot of preparation, but all of that will now have to be done at the last minute.

The water level in the Saterno River, right to the Formula 1 circuit, continues to rise. The level is at the second alarm level while the streets in Cesena, just 45 minutes’ drive from the circuit, are also completely under water. Some residents around the river and the circuit have also been evacuated as a precaution. The same applies to track personnel and Formula 1 teams. They were also evacuated this afternoon because the Saterno River is on the verge of flooding.

Heavy rainfall of about 20 millimeters is also predicted on Friday and Saturday, when three free practice sessions and qualifying are scheduled in Imola. Expectations for Sunday look a little more favourable, but it is clear that the new Pirelli rain tire will be used extensively next weekend. After criticism from Max Verstappen, among others, in 2022 about the so-called full laws, which would not drain the water properly, Pirelli designed a new rain tire last winter. Durability also plays a role, because with the new rain tyre, it is not necessary to preheat the rubber with electric blankets.

Although there is no question of a disaster scenario at the Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna yet, the organization is concerned. The last time rain threw a spanner in the works in Formula 1 was on August 29, 2021 at the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps. After hours of waiting in the rain, numb and drenched fans saw the drivers complete a few laps behind the safety car. Max Verstappen, who started from pole, was then declared the winner and scored half the normal number of World Cup points.

The drivers have fewer sets of tires at their disposal in Imola. Instead of thirteen sets, there are eleven. It specifically concerns the so-called slicks, or the dry weather tires. Pirelli is reducing the number of tires to test a novelty at the Imola circuit.

During the qualifying race on Saturday there is no free choice of tires in the three sessions. The drivers must run on the hard tire in Q1, on the mediums in Q2 and on the soft tires in Q3. “This means that each driver has fewer sets of dry-weather tires available for the entire race weekend, with which we are also doing the environment a service,” said Pirelli boss Mario Isola on the Formula 1 website. less tires.”