“Smell of gasoline everywhere,” Yuki Tsunoda relives horrible night in Imola, nudges fans to donate to flood relief

Yuki Tsunoda shared an emotional message on social media regarding the Imola flood.

“Smell of gasoline everywhere,” Yuki Tsunoda relives horrible night in Imola, nudges fans to donate to flood relief

L-Yuki Tsunoda (Images via The Mirror & The New York Times)

Formula 1 drivers and the teams expressed their support to cancel the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix that was scheduled for this weekend. This comes after the local authorities issued a red weather alert due to heavy rain and flooding in the area. Most drivers live in Monaco away from the disaster-stuck Emilia- Romagna region. However, Yuki Tsunoda has been residing in Faenza since the end of his first F1 season. 

This is because Tsunoda’s team AlphaTauri is based out of this city in Italy. The 23-year-old witnessed the aftermath of the horrific events in Northern Italy and is devastated. He took to social media to call for help. Tsunoda shared images of his view and added a video of a mud-covered street. He also posted an emergency flood relief fundraising link so people would donate and help the residents. 

YouTube video

FS Video

Yuki Tsunoda wrote on his social media platforms, “After a horrible night the town is heavily impacted: dust, mud, and the smell of gasoline everywhere. Currently, people are struggling to find food and especially places to stay, after many have been evacuated from their own homes. Please, anything you can do to help is appreciated.” The young Japanese driver also added a QR code to make it easy for people to donate. 

Related: CEO Stefano Domenicali signals that F1 might not return to ‘canceled’ Imola GP later in 2023

Other F1 drivers extended their support to Yuki Tsunoda by sharing his post

Flood-hit Imola (Image via The Guardian)
Flood-hit Imola (Image via The Guardian)

McLaren driver Lando Norris commented with a heart emoji on Tsunoda’s post and retweeted it. He extended his support to his fellow driver. Norris also shared the image of the fundraising details on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Apart from him, other drivers like George Russell and Charles Leclerc also posted the link to raise money for the victims of the flood. The drivers shared the sentiment with Yuki Tsunoda. 

Many users thanked Tsunoda for his gesture and others sympathised with him. The fans appreciated his support and wished him well. Others like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen sent their thoughts and prayers to the victims of the Emilia-Romagna flood. They expressed their emotions on social media. Formula 1 and the drivers put the safety of everyone before the racing event. 

Ferrari, the Italian team was excited about their home race as it was important to them. However, they prioritized the safety of the people living in the affected areas. Though it might have been one of the most exciting races due to the circuit’s traits and the upgrades brought by the teams, canceling the event was the best decision for all. Also, the Imola GP is the second race that has been canceled following the Chinese GP making it 22 races this season.

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