The sixth round of the Formula 1 season was cancelled after severe rain and flooding made it impractical and impossible for the event to go ahead.

Doing what he can to support the region, Leclerc is auctioning the rare piece of Formula 1 history from his home race, as well as his helmet, boots and gloves.

“After the tragedy that happened in Italy in Emilia-Romagna with the flooding recently, I decided to sell all my racing kits from my home Grand Prix, so it’s a very special one,” Leclerc wrote on social media.

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“It was raining, so you can see everything is still a little bit dirty, but together with Sotheby’s, we have organised an auction.

“There will be four lots: the gloves that I wore during the race, the racing shoes that I wore during the race, of course, the racing suit, together with the fireproof underwear and finally, my racing helmet from the race.

“So I hope we can collect as much money as possible in order to help the people in need, thank you for the support and see you soon. Ciao.”

READ: Guenther Steiner tears into FIA stewards and demands immediate change

Working with auction house RM Sotheby’s, the chance to buy Leclerc’s outfit begins on 2^nd June at 10am and closes at 5pm on 6^th June.

Leclerc’s support for the region comes after his team and Formula 1 donated €1 million each to aid with the post-flooding recovery.

Alongside the donation, Formula 1 provided food and water to support residents after the tragic events that took place in Northern Italy and AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda was spotted personally working to clean up Faenza.

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With the Emilia Romagna race scrapped after deadly flooding plagued the Italian region, the Dutchman looked for another way to fill his weekend, raising funds for relief efforts.

The Team Redline event followed flooding and landslides that forced over 13,000 people to evacuate the region and resulted in five fatalities. 

Verstappen took victory in the first race but became the victim of carnage in the second race, as his rival sought to disrupt his dominance in the sim seat.

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McLaren’s Lando Norris couldn’t resist joining in with the event, following along on his own Twitch stream, as other drivers offered their thoughts on the Dutchman’s performance.

In the third race, Norris took the chance to get a jump start on his Formula 1 rival, jumping the start before Verstappen chased him down.

While Verstappen would escape unscathed, Norris found himself stranded in a chaotic situation, battling off his fellow drivers.

Other participants included Red Bull junior drivers Ayumu Iwasa, Jack Crawford, Isack Hadjar and Enzo Fittipaldi, with Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich and Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan added to the fray.

“We with Verstappen.com Racing work closely with Red Bull and so the question of which Red Bull juniors wanted to participate was quickly posed. Of course, we also knew some more names who also knew some more names, so that’s how we were able to put together a nice list,” Team Redline director Atze Kerkhof said.

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Almost 25,000 people joined the stream on Twitch, rivalling a similar virtual race held by Williams Esports, also to raise money for rescue efforts in the region.

Albon was less successful in his event, finding himself disqualified by lap 13 after he failed to obey blue flags on a number of occasions.

Albon’s boss James Vowles also took part, similarly being hit by a penalty for infringments around the circuit.

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Emergency services have been working hard this past week, airlifting individuals to safety and seeking to ensure that residents are able to return to their homes.

“It is not possible to safely hold the event for our fans, the teams and our personnel, and it is the right thing to do given the situation faced by the towns and cities in the region,” Formula 1 officials said earlier this year.

The Formula 1 community welcomed the cancellation as the right thing to do given the circumstances, believing it would be wrong to divert emergency services away from the flooding to host the race.

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However, protest group Extinction Rebellion has blasted the media coverage of the situation, claiming it has focused too much on the cancellation, ignoring the real issues.

“While many are heartbroken about the high carbon, high profit, @‌F1 race cancellation,” the group said on social media. 

“Shouldn’t big media care more about on the deaths of at least 9 people, and thousands homeless or evacuated across multiple countries?”

READ: Ferrari boss comments on prospect of Monaco GP being cancelled

With the group being known for its direct action, describing itself as a “non-violent civil disobedience” movement, Extinction Rebellion has crossed paths with Formula 1 before.

During the 2020 British Grand Prix, activists entered the circuit when the race was due to be taking place behind closed doors due to the Covid pandemic.

Formula 1 is now set to return next weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix, with drivers taking to the iconic street circuit, known for its tight twists and turns.

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This weekend’s Imola Grand Prix was cancelled due to the impact of the stormy weather, with fears that a nearby river would burst its banks and completely flood the track.

With fears for the safety of staff and fans high, the circuit was evacuated on Tuesday, leading to a conversation between Formula 1 officials and local authorities on cancelling the race.

With drivers not racing this weekend, Tsunoda joined AlphaTauri staff in the Italian town, helping the local community recover by cleaning up the damage caused by the flood water.

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13 people have been confirmed dead and 13,000 have had to flee their homes due to the floods, with more than 20 rivers having burst their banks and nearly 300 landslides reported in the region.

Faenza, home to AlphaTauri’s factory, was one of the worst hit areas, with staff fleeing their homes and sleeping at the team’s base.

Tsunoda’s show of support for the residents of AlphaTauri’s hometown received significant praise on social media, as fans shared images of the Japanese driver hard at work.

“We need more drivers like Tsunoda and Lewis Hamilton,” one fan said.

“Tell me you are Japanese without telling me you are Japanese,” another added.

READ: Max Verstappen breaks silence on Ferrari poaching strategy

“Yuki is amazing! He has to stay in F1. Great human being and he’s showing incredible consistency this year,” a user stated, referring to Tsunoda’s impressive consistency this season.

The Japanese driver has recorded three 11^th place finishes and two P10 results, securing both of AlphaTauri’s points this season.

On the other side of the garage, Nyck de Vries remains pointless, one of two drivers on the grid to have not secured a top ten finish this year.

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Chandhok responded to a thread created by motorsport analyst Vincenzo Landino which had called for the virtual race to be held to raise money for people affected by the devasting floods.

The pundit and former Formula E driver rejected the idea of taking part, suggesting that, instead, he will be spending the time away from the track with his family.

“With the GP canceled this weekend, I would love to see @F1 get the drivers together for a virtual Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with proceeds going to help the local area,” Landino’s post read.

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“Partner with @Twitch, have all 20 drivers compete, and race Imola with old V10 cars. Sell tickets for $20.”

Another user, Dr Obbs, who co-hosts the Tech Heads F1 podcast, added that Sky Sports F1 could cover the virtual event, tagging Chandhok, David Croft, Natalie Pinkham, Bernie Collins and Martin Brundle.

Chandhok was clearly not keen on the idea, writing in a now-deleted post “Or we could have a weekend off and remind our children we exist?”

The response was deemed insensitive by fans, with the flooding having left 15,000 displaced and over 5 people dead.

READ: Ex-F1 driver reacts to Daniel Ricciardo seat fitting amid Nyck de Vries replacement rumours

“I feel like this is really insensitive as a response Karun. When your friend or neighbour is in trouble, you help. Especially given this is a region that has done so much for F1 over the years. It’s an opportunity for compassion using the enormous resources of F1…,” one wrote.

“Clearly @karunchandhok isn’t one for helping others in a time of tragedy, blown my mind that he’d tweet this. If he was supposed to be commentating then he’d be away from home anyway, so what’s the issue?” another added.

Formula 1 next heads to the iconic street circuit of Monaco, with wet weather currently forecast for the event, the race could be an action-packed event.

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Monaco is just a 500 kilometre drive from Imola, with the gear used at the Italian race set to be used at next weekend’s Grand Prix.

With only a limited number of team members allowed into the circuit on Thursday to begin the pack down and identify the impact of the flooding, concerns have emerged over whether the Monaco Grand Prix will be impacted.

Footage earlier this week showed the Formula 1 television compound and several trucks under water, although the sport’s management team claim that critical electric gear survived the water damage.

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“Nothing is flooded in the paddock but the traces of the floods from the previous days are clearly visible,” Bild newspaper reported on Thursday.

“We were supposed to leave Imola on Sunday evening, which gives us a margin now,” Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur told France’s Auto Hebdo.

Even drivers weren’t spared the disruption, as AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries found himself stranded temporarily on his way to the team’s homebase near Imola.

READ: Max Verstappen breaks silence on Ferrari poaching strategy

The Dutchman explained that members of the McLaren team helped rescue him, as returning to the highway wasn’t an option and the hotels were fully booked.

With it looking almost impossible to reschedule the Imola Grand Prix this year, promoters have confirmed that ticked can be transferred to the 2024 race or refunded over the disruption.

“A natural disaster such as a flood is considered force majeure, so the organiser does not have to pay the race fee that otherwise would have been due to Formula 1,” Bild claimed.

“In Imola’s case, it is about €20 million.”

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After a meeting between Formula 1, the President of the FIA and relevant authorities, including Ministers, the President of the Automobile Club of Italy, the President of the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Mayor of the City and the promoter, the decision has been taken to not proceed with this weekend’s event.

The area where the race was due to take place has been under a red weather warning after severe rainfall, with the swollen Santerno River behind the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit sending water flooding across parts of the track.

Italy’s deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, had called for the race to be postponed over the deadly weather conditions, as officials wanted to ensure all efforts were concentrated on tackling the emergency situation.

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Heeding the warnings, Formula 1 and the regional authorities had urged teams and personnel to not go to the circuit on Wednesday due to the risk posed by the dangerous conditions.

George Russell responded to the situation in Italy, issuing an apology to fans who were travelling to the event to support Mercedes, stating how safety has to come first.

“Sorry for the fans that this weekend’s race has been cancelled but the safety of everyone involved always has to come first,” Russell posted on Twitter.

“Wishing all the best to everyone in the Emilia-Romagna region and surrounding areas that have been affected by these floods.”

“It is such a tragedy to see what has happened to Imola and Emilia-Romagna, the town and region that I grew up in, and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the flooding and the families and communities affected,” Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said in an official statement.

“I want to express my gratitude and admiration for the incredible emergency services who are working tirelessly to help those who need help and alleviate the situation – they are heroes and the whole of Italy is proud of them.

READ: Lando Norris warned Oscar Piastri could force him out of McLaren

“The decision that has been taken is the right one for everyone in the local communities and the F1 family as we need to ensure safety and not create extra burden for the authorities while they deal with this very awful situation.”

“My thoughts and those of the entire FIA family are with those affected by the terrible situation in the Emilia-Romagna region. The safety of everyone involved and recovery efforts are the top priority at this time,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem added.

Formula 1 isn’t the only sport to have been affected by the weather conditions, with cycling’s Giro d’Italia and the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome being impacted.

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The flooding has killed at least five people in the Emilia-Romagna region, with 5,000 people having been evacuated from their homes, as of Wednesday morning.

“Following discussions between Formula 1, the President of the FIA, the competent authorities including the relevant Ministers, the President of the Automobile Club of Italy, the President of the Emilia Romagna Region, the Mayor of the City and the promoter, the decision has been taken not to proceed,” Formula 1 said in a statement.

“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.

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“It would not be right to put further pressure on the local authorities and emergency services at this difficult time.”

Heavy rain caused the Savior River to swell, flooding the city of Cesena earlier this week and seeing the region placed under Italy’s most severe red weather warning.

Formula 1 personnel had already been instructed to leave the paddock at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari on Tuesday, as the rain continued to fall across the circuit.

Fears were raised ahead of the event as the water level in the Santerno river began to dangerously rise just metres from the track, resulting in a meeting between F1 officials and local authorities.

Images circulating on social media showed parts of the circuit submerged, with the area where all the TV broadcasts would be located completely flooded.

READ: Lando Norris warned Oscar Piastri could force him out of McLaren

“The Formula 1 community wants to send its thoughts to the people and communities affected by the recent events in the Emilia-Romagna region,” the statement read.

“We also want to pay tribute to the work of the emergency services who are doing everything they can to help those in need.”

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was set to be the first of three European races, with Monaco and Barcelona set to follow in the coming weeks.

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Faenza, an Italian city located within a 25-minute drive from the Imola circuit, has been hit by devastating floods, causing hundreds to be evacuated, with two locals dying.

Local residents have been warned matters may worsen over the coming days as the threat of extreme weather persists.

Fortunately for the Italian Grand Prix, there has been no damage to the track meaning the race will go ahead.

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However, with numerous teams adding new additions, the chance of corroborating upgrades looks thin as the rain will impact the running considerably.

Last year’s Emilia-Romagna GP saw the introduction of the Formula One sprint race format.

The race itself was won by reigning World Champion Max Verstappen, who led a Red Bull 1-2 with teammate Sergio Perez finishing second.

READ: Toto Wolff pushing for Mick Schumacher to replace Sargeant by Canadian GP

Lando Norris impressed with a third-place finish.

The Red Bull pairing of Verstappen and Perez have grown accustomed to 1-2 finishes so far this season.

Such a feat has been achieved four times from a possible five and if the two title challengers can keep the team’s best interests in mind, more of the same can be expected in Italy.

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Both the Italian GP and the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix are typically seen with packed-out grandstands and a sea of red, in support of their beloved Ferrari.

However, Ferrari’s currently struggles are having a concerning effect on ticket sales, with neither event currently receiving much interest from fans wanting to attend.

“We have to keep our commitments to Formula 1,” said Italian automobile club Aci president Angelo Sticchi Damiani, “but ticket sales for the two races aren’t going as hoped.”

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With the race at Imola taking place next month, the news that ticket sales aren’t going well will come as a huge concern, especially with how many countries are showing interest in hosting an F1 race.

Monza appears to be fairing significantly worse than Imola, though, with the circuit looking at significant risk of being axed from future calendars.

The circuit’s place on the calendar is currently safe until 2025, when its current deal expires.

Monza – which has appeared on the F1 calendar since the sport started in 1950 – has been told by the sport’s commercial rights holders Liberty Media to upgrade the circuit, something which will to no surprise cost a significant amount.

The country’s deputy PM has openly admitted how bad things are looking currently for Monza; however, “everything” is being done to keep it on the calendar.

“The Monza GP is at risk,” Italy’s deputy prime minister and minister of infrastructure Matteo Salvini told Autosprint.

“As a minister I will do everything to ensure that Monza has its event which stands for history and tradition.”

Monza and Imola will likely be hoping for Ferrari to have strong races in Azerbaijan and Miami, in a bid to sell all the remaining tickets.

READ: Who will replace Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen’s team-mate?

The Maranello-based team’s best result of the season thus far is third at the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Leclerc has only finished two races this season, but he was the driver who picked up the Scuderia’s podium in Baku.

Ferrari will be hoping for a stronger outing in Miami this weekend, as they bring upgrades in a bid to challenge Red Bull.

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