Several provinces in Spain have suffered severe flooding this week due to incessant rains, but Valencia recorded the most destruction and loss of life. Authorities call the natural disaster unprecedented and army units are involved in rescue operations.
According to the Spanish meteorological agency Aemet, rainfall in some regions of Valencia exceeded annual levels in just eight hours, and the rain has not stopped. One of the obvious consequences of the rampant disaster is the disruption of rail and road connections as many highways have been cut off.
Three days of mourning were officially declared in Spain on Thursday and in this situation Formula E management took the logical decision not to conduct tests in Valencia next week.
“We are all following the development of the tragic situation in Valencia, where floods have caused destruction and countless victims. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these terrible events, and Formula E is exploring what practical support we can provide to the region at this difficult time.
After consultation with the local authorities, the FIA and our colleagues at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, we have decided to cancel the pre-season tests scheduled for November 4-7 in Valencia.
Although we could carry them out logistically, it is now important not to divert the region’s valuable resources, which could be more usefully used to help the local population. A number of Formula E teams have already started working in Valencia last week and we would like to thank each and every one of them for everything they have done and continue to do to support the region.
The pre-season testing is an important moment in the calendar of our championship, because the 11th season of Formula E starts on December 6 and 7 in Sao Paulo. In addition, the first women’s tests in the history of our series were also scheduled to be held in Valencia.
That’s why we decided to reserve another circuit for official testing: the Circuit del Jarama, located near Madrid. The testing in Haram will take place from November 5 to 8, with the full schedule to be confirmed later, but in the meantime we are busy solving some difficult logistical and organizational issues. It will depend on the results of this work whether we can transfer the tests to the Madrid circuit in the remaining time.
All our thoughts are now with the people who live in Valencia. The city holds a special place in our hearts as it has been on the Formula E calendar since 2017 and we recently moved our base there.
We will support the local community in any way we can to help overcome the impact of these tragic events and will ensure that testing in the Haram is carried out in the best possible way.”
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
