Emilia Romagna GP called off due to persistent rain in northern Italy

The Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix at Imola will not be held this weekend due to extreme weather in the northern Italian region, organisers said on Wednesday.

"The decision has been taken because it is not possible to safely hold the event for our fans, the teams and our personnel and it is the right and responsible thing to do given the situation faced by the towns and cities in the region,"

The Emilia Romagna region has been badly affected by torrential rain which caused extensive flooding, killing two people and forcing hundreds to be evacuated from their homes, earlier this month.

The race in Imola was due to kick off F1’s first triple header of the season, with races to follow on consecutive weekends in Monaco and Spain in the sport’s record 23-round campaign.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen holds a 14-point lead at the top of the drivers’ standings after five races.