F1 News: Hungarian Grand Prix Changes Made In Light Of Emilia Romagna Cancellation

The upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix is set to feature the new qualifying format which was set to be introduced to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix before its cancellation.

The Imola race was also set to debut a new qualifying format. The proposal intended for drivers to employ the Hard compound in Q1, Medium in Q2, and Soft in Q3. This strategic change aimed to decrease the total tyre sets used per driver from 13 to 11 in an effort towards environmental conservation. The extreme wet tyre, which would bypass the need for pre-heating, was also on the lineup to be introduced in the Emilia Romagna GP.

However, the urgency of the flood crisis in Italy rightly prompted a shift in focus from these sporting initiatives, delaying the introduction of the new format to the Hungarian Grand Prix.

According to insider information from Motor Sport Magazine, F1 and Pirelli are now considering the Hungarian Grand Prix, taking place from July 21-23, as the stage for testing the revised qualifying format. Pirelli has also suggested the introduction of a substitute race for Imola, to further experiment with the proposed Saturday afternoon format.

Emilia Romagna, a region in Italy, was struck by severe flooding, leading to devastating consequences, including the loss of 13 lives, over 10,000 displaced residents, and damages amounting to billions of euros. The unfortunate situation compelled Formula 1 to call off the Imola Grand Prix, marking a change in the championship calendar from 23 to 22 races.