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Catastrophic Flooding Forces Cancelation of Formula E Test in Valencia, Spain

search for missing people underway after devastating storm kills 158 in spain
Spanish Floods Cause Formula E to Cancel TestAnadolu - Getty Images

What has been described as "a year's worth of rain in just a few hours' flooded the region near Valencia, Spain this week.

Death toll from the natural disaster in central eastern Spain was at 159 as of late Thursday.

On Thursday, the ABB FIA Formula E electric open-wheel racing series leadership announced that the series is canceling its scheduled preseason test and first-ever Women's Test originally slated for Valencia, Nov. 4-7.

Officials hope to move the preseason tests to Nov. 5-8 in Madrid.

Here's the official statement from the series:

<span class="caption">Cars were left piled up on the street as water receded from this week’s flooding near Valencia, Spain.</span><span class="photo-credit">JOSE JORDAN - Getty Images</span>

“We have all been monitoring the tragic situation in Valencia, where flash floods have devastated the region and claimed many lives. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these terrible events and we at Formula E are looking at how we can practically support the region during this awful time.

“Following consultation with local authorities, the FIA and our colleagues at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, we have decided not to proceed with our preseason test in Valencia, planned for 4-7 November. While it may have been possible to go ahead logistically, it is important not to create any distraction or use valuable resources that are much better served supporting the local community. We have a number of Formula E team members who have been working on the ground in Valencia over the past week, and we want to personally thank them for everything they’ve done, and continue to do, to support the area.

“The pre-season test is an important moment in the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship calendar ahead of Season 11 starting in Sao Paulo on 6-7 December, as it allows us to check the new GEN3 Evo cars for safety, and also to establish that we can safely and effectively deploy new technologies. We have also planned for the first-ever Women’s Test to take place during this event.

“Therefore, we have taken the decision to secure an alternative location, and Circuito del Jarama in Madrid will host both the FIA Formula E Official Test and the Women’s Test next week, scheduled for Tuesday 5 to Friday 8 November. The full event schedule will be confirmed in due course, as we navigate a number of logistical and operational challenges which will determine if it’s possible to move our test operations to Madrid within this timeframe.

“Our first thoughts are with the community of Valencia. The city has a special place in our hearts: it has been ever-present on our calendar since 2017 and we have recently moved our operations base there. It is like a second home for Formula E. We will support the community to recover from these tragic events in any way we can, and ensure that while our testing continues in Madrid, it is done with the utmost sensitivity.”

Season 11 of Formula 1—the 2024-25 season—is scheduled to begin Dec. 7 at Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The series makes its lone U.S. stop of the 2024-25 season in Miami on April 12.