(IMOLA, Italy) — This weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in northern Italy was canceled Wednesday because of deadly floods in the region. Formula One said it made the decision for safety reasons and to avoid any extra burden on the emergency services, after consulting with Italian political figures. Drivers including Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen gave their backing, and Ferrari said the team supported the decision to call off its home race. “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,” F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] At least five people have died in the flooding and 5,000 more have been evacuated, while electricity supplies and cell phone networks have been severely affected.