Formula 1 praised for taking quick action: "Much faster than in the recent past"

Scott Mitchell-Malm argues that Formula 1 acted appropriately by canceling the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The journalist from The Race is glad that F1 didn't adopt a wait-and-see approach this time but instead took immediate action. According to Mitchell-Malm, it would have been completely inappropriate to have races at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari this weekend.

On Wednesday afternoon, Formula 1 announced through official channels that the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix had been canceled due to the severe weather conditions in Northern Italy. According to Mitchell-Malm, this was the only right decision. "Even if an F1 race had been possible at Imola this weekend, it would be completely inappropriate to go through with it," states The Race's F1 journalist.

Mitchell-Malm also sees a significant contrast with situations from the recent past. He refers to the Australian Grand Prix in 2020 and the Belgian Grand Prix in 2021, both cases in which it took a long time before a decision was made - but this time, that's different. "The shift from a 'wait-and-see' approach to taking action was much faster this time."

Should the decision have been made even faster?

For the fans who have traveled to Imola, it is undoubtedly very frustrating, and Mitchell-Malm believes that some people might think that the decision could have been made earlier. However, the F1 journalist immediately states that Formula 1 cannot be blamed. "F1 could not do anything other than try to proceed with the event if it was possible. However, it is not surprising that the event had to be canceled. It is the only sensible, conscientious decision."

"Irresponsible to divert resources from emergency services"

According to Mitchell-Malm, it was also not an option to race this weekend, considering the extensive damage caused by the floods in various areas of Northern Italy. "The images of flooded cities and towns are terrible, the consequences are severe. Lives have been lost, homes have been abandoned. Make no mistake, the floods have devastated the Emilia Romagna region. It would have been incredibly irresponsible to divert resources and personnel away from the relief efforts. This should be the highest priority," says Mitchell-Malm.