Qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix has been referred to as off amid heavy rain on the Autódromo José Carlos Tempo. The grid-setting session for the grand prix has been rescheduled for Sunday morning, although rain is forecast to fall all night time and into the ultimate day of the occasion.
The sporting rules don’t particularly cope with qualifying being unable to be held in any respect, although Article 39.4(b) suggests the order set throughout first apply could possibly be used to set the grid when drivers have “did not set a time in Q1.” Nonetheless, use of both the Dash shootout or the Dash outcomes is taken into account extra seemingly if operating can’t get underway earlier than the grand prix.
If qualifying does run, it will be the primary time it has been held on the identical day because the grand prix since final yr’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, when qualifying was held on midnight Saturday morning and the race at 10pm later that day.
Although the Dash was accomplished in dry circumstances, a thunderstorm descended on the Sao Paulo circuit round 40 minutes earlier than the beginning of qualifying, with lightning instantly placing the operating of the session in danger by grounding the medical helicopter. Lightning ended up being the least of the game’s issues, nevertheless, with heavy rain making operating not possible regardless.
The session was delayed by an preliminary half-hour after which one other half-hour in pursuit of a break within the climate, wherein time the thunder and lightning had moved on however the rain had barely subsided.
Race management started working in 15-minute intervals, with the security automotive commonly lapping to evaluate circumstances, with sundown at 6:20pm the onerous cut-off time. However with standing water stubbornly refusing to empty regardless of the circulation of a sweeper truck and with mild already low owing to the heavy cloud cowl, it was a forlorn hope, and the day was referred to as off at 4:45pm native time.
