F1 officials are monitoring Hurricane Otis ahead of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.
Hurricane Otis made landfall at Acapulco in southern Mexico on Wednesday knocking out power and communication after being upgraded from tropical storm to Category 5 in the space of just 12 hours, the most severe rating possible for a hurricane.
Otis increased in intensity prior to reaching land prompting the National Hurricane Centre to warn of a “nightmare scenario” with sustained winds of more than 250km/h.
The storm has since made its way inland and is currently around 200km west of Mexico City, home of this weekend’s grand prix.
Since making landfall and moving inland, Otis’ intensity has been downgraded to Category 4.
Organisers are monitoring the situation though do not expect the event to be impacted as its projected to continue northwards.
Home to almost nine million people, Mexico City remains outside the area predicted to experience even tropical storm-strength winds.
It’s not the first time this season that Formula 1 has kept an eye on deteriorating climactic conditions after cancelling the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May.
There, flooding in the region left much of Imola and surrounding towns under water.
Even once it had abated the clean-up was significant, with mud coating buildings and streets, with piles of discarded furniture littering the side of the road.
In that instance, 14 people lost their lives with thousands forced from their homes as the area received half of its annual rainfall in just 36 hours.
There are currently no known deaths as a result of Hurricane Otis, though over half a million people have been left without power.
Track action in Mexico City is set to begin on Friday local time, Saturday morning AEDT, though the F1 fraternity will be at the venue from Thursday.
