Throughout the years Formula One has maintained its status as a sport that does not stop for man nor God himself. The drivers have raced in spite of roadblocks ranging from terrifying weather to political unrest, consistently demonstrating that “We race as one.” Is more than just a mantra. This past weekend, mother nature put a dent in Formula Ones attendance record.
The drivers were set to race in Imola the 19th through the 21st before devastating rains put a halt to the festivities. With an average rainfall of 35.4 inches per year according to climate-data.org, the infrastructure was not prepared to house the massive downpour that resulted in the death of at least 8 people. With excessive flooding and emergency evacuations in place, racing was not an option.
This marks the first Grand Prix in the history of all 1,084 Formula One races to be canceled before it was officially the race weekend due to weather concerns. Unfortunately, climate change is continuing at a rate indicating that the 2023 cancellation of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix will not be the last of its kind.
While this is a historical event the Formula One world would have preferred to be without, it is one that draws much needed attention to the dangers of a globally unsustainable lifestyle. Formula One has a history of doing their best to combat these dangers by implementing a sustainability strategy, even going so far in 2019 to commit to being net carbon zero by 2030. They intend to implement net zero carbon race cars, low/zero carbon logistics/travel, and powering affiliated locations with 100% renewable energy.
In addition to eliminating their carbon footprint, Formula One has pledged to leave a positive impact on their race locations. With inclement weather growing in severity with each passing year these changes should not be looked at as a good deed but rather seen as a vital necessity. Formula One is setting positive examples for industries everywhere by taking caution to the environment, admitting where they are weak, and doing what they can to leave the cities they race in better than they found them.
F1 is set to continue the 2023 season on May 28th in Monaco. The future of this shortened season is still unknown as Red Bull teammates Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez continue to trade race wins. With Sergio having won the Monaco Grand Prix in 2022, he is favored to win this upcoming weekend by many fans.