Due to the heavy rain, the qualifying session for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix has been rescheduled to take place on Sunday.
Qualifying for Brazil’s Sao Paulo Formula One Grand Prix was rescheduled for 0730 local time (1030GMT) on Sunday with the race start brought forward by 90 minutes after rain and lightning made conditions unsafe on Saturday.
The race will now start at 1230 local (1530GMT) instead of 1400 (1700GMT).
After being delayed for two hours with no improvement in conditions, amid fading daylight, officials decided Saturday’s qualifying could not proceed.
“It’s a pity but the conditions are not safe to drive, as simple as that,” Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali told F1 television in a pitlane interview as the rain continued to fall. “Racing in these conditions is impossible.”
The governing FIA said the decision was taken due to poor visibility and standing water.
“The safety of drivers, team members, volunteers, officials and spectators is our main priority,” it said in a statement.
Qualifying has previously taken place on a Sunday, with the most recent occurrence being at the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, where it was delayed due to a typhoon passing through. The sprint race at Interlagos on Saturday, which saw Lando Norris secure victory in a McLaren one-two, was held under dry conditions, as were Friday’s practice sessions and sprint qualifying. There is a forecast for more rain on Sunday. The Brazilian Grand Prix is the 21st round of the 24-race championship, marking the end of an American triple-header on consecutive weekends. Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s triple world champion, currently holds a 44-point lead over his closest rival, Norris, and any cancellation of the race would have a significant impact on the outcome of the title.
Assuming everything proceeds as planned, Verstappen will face a five-place grid penalty for exceeding his engine allocation.
