F1 Brazil GP qualifying postponed due to heavy rain

Qualifying has been postponed after heavy downpours in Sao Paulo meant the grid-setting session couldn’t be completed safely. 

Feature image credit: Red Bull Content Pool

Qualifying was meant to get underway at 3pm local time but after nearly two hours, it was announced that the session would not take place on Saturday. 

This was due to a heavy, thunderous storm which floated in over the area pouring heavy rain and lightning onto the circuit with Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz confirming lightning strikes at the circuit. 

Many cars and machines went out onto the circuit such as the safety car and its driver Bernd Maylander, the race director and clerk of the course. They were joined by teams out on the track clearing away the water with sweepers. 

However, just before 5pm local time, it was officially announced that the session was postponed. It is expected to get underway on Sunday morning with a start time to be decided.

Credit: FIA (X)

The FIA released a statement confirming the postponement, they said: 

“The Qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix is postponed.

“The decision was taken due to the lack of visibility caused by the level of rain we have experienced in the past few hours. There is a lot of standing water on parts of the circuit which renders conditions unsafe.

“As much as we would all like to see competition on track, the safety of drivers, team members, volunteers, officials and spectators is our main priority.

“A decision on a start time for Qualifying tomorrow morning will be taken as soon as possible.”

Despite the rescheduled session, it’s unclear if qualifying will get underway then too as it’s forecasted to rain so wet weather will be a problem once more. 

We will continue to keep an eye on this as the story develops…

Read more Formula 1 here:

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• Norris tops sole practice in Brazil GP ahead of Russell and Bearman
• Weather Report: the latest forecast for the Brazil Grand Prix
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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.