Motorsport on this weekend after F1 Imola cancellation

The weekend of May 20th-21st should have held the sixth round of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix taking place at Imola.

However, the race was called off on Wednesday 17th owing to floods and extreme weather in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy after heavy rainfall.

Diverting emergency services away from crucial disaster relief and search and rescue operations would not have been a good look for F1, and so the race became the first in the history of the World Championship to be cancelled on weather grounds.

It leaves a hole in the weekend plans of fans, but RacingNews365 has rounded up the other motorsport taking place this weekend to enjoy as F1 must wait to Monaco before hitting the track once again.

America headlines weekend offering

In the United States, there are two big events taking place this weekend - one in IndyCar and the other in NASCAR.

It is qualifying weekend for the Indianapolis 500, set to take place on May 28th - the same day as Monaco.

Qualifying for the 500 works slightly differently to the usual series format. Essentially, everyone in the field gets a guaranteed run to set a four-lap average speed of the Brickyard before separate sessions then decide the final row of the 33-car grid and pole position.

Coverage will be live on Sky Sports F1 throughout the weekend for viewers in the UK and on NBC in the United States. Saturday's session starts at 11:00am local time (16:00 UK) with the track open for just under seven hours.

The second high profile event is the NASCAR All-Star race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

It is an exhibition non-points race with it taking place on the famed North Carolina oval which has been rescued from ruin by the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

It last held a Cup race in 1996 before being almost forgotten over the next two decades. Fortunately, Earnhardt Jr has been heavily involved in regenerating the circuit with hopes of a full points Cup race in 2024.

The main event itself kicks off at 20:00 Eastern on Sunday evening on Fox, which is a early start on Monday morning for those in the UK.

Nurburgring 24 Hours

Elsewhere, in Germany, the Nurburgring 24 Hours takes place on the 14.7-mile Nordschleife.

136 cars have been entered for the classic enduro, with Toyotas, BMWs, Aston Martins, Audis and Porsches all set to take to the grid.

In the past, it has been won by the likes of Pedro Lamy and Markus Winkelhock - he of leading the 2007 European Grand Prix (at the Nurburgring) in a Spyker having pitted at the end of the formation lap before the heavens opened fame.

Over in Barcelona, the F1 Academy continues although the series is still not being broadcast live, with Super Formula also flying the single-seater flag out in Japan at Autopolis.

For the tin-tops fans out there, Australian Supercars visit Symmons Plains in Tasmania while the British Touring Car Championship heads to Snetterton with the posse of support series in tow.