It was a far more marginal decision the last time a race was called off on the eve of the event. I was in a minority at the time believing the race should have gone on. They, trucks and sundry kit will go not home but to Monaco, venue of next weekend’s race. The fact is that when Ricciardo, 33, returned to Red Bull after being sacked by McLaren last season his form on the simulator was surprisingly awry. One absurdity about the Imola race is its full name: Formula 1 Qatar Airways Gran Premio del Made in Italy e dell’Emilia-Romagna 2023.

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