The plan is now to drive on Sunday morning, as F1 managing director Stefano Domenicali confirmed. “It’s just that the conditions are not safe to drive.” Also due to the approaching sunset, the postponement was decided on Saturday after a wait of almost two hours.
However, the forecast for Sunday is also poor with an extremely high chance of rain. It was still unclear when exactly qualifying would take place. The main race is scheduled for 6 p.m./CET (live on ServusTV and Sky). So far in F1 history, qualifying has only been held on Sunday mornings five times, in Suzuka (3), Melbourne (1) and Austin (1).
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On Saturday the storm started just under an hour before qualifying. The short race at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, which McLaren driver Lando Norris won, was driven on a dry track. Within a very short time the water was flowing down the track in torrents. In the World Cup ranking, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has a lead of 44 points over Norris with four races and one sprint before the end of the season.
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**Interview with Racing Analyst Sam Thompson on F1 Brazilian GP Qualifying Postponement**
**Interviewer:** Good morning, Sam. Thanks for joining us to discuss the recent postponement of the qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix due to heavy rain.
**Sam Thompson:** Good morning! It’s a pleasure to be here.
**Interviewer:** So, the qualifying session has been moved to Sunday morning. What led to this decision?
**Sam Thompson:** Well, the heavy downpour created very unsafe driving conditions at the Interlagos circuit. F1 Managing Director Stefano Domenicali stated that they waited nearly two hours before making the call, but the storm made it clear that racing wouldn’t be possible. Safety is always the top priority in Formula 1.
**Interviewer:** Understandable. However, the forecast for Sunday doesn’t look promising either, does it?
**Sam Thompson:** That’s right. Reports indicate an extremely high chance of rain tomorrow as well. This creates a tricky situation since the main race is scheduled for 6 PM CET. If qualifying gets pushed further, it could lead to a more congested schedule during the race weekend.
**Interviewer:** Has this scenario happened before in F1 history? When was the last time qualifying was held on a Sunday morning?
**Sam Thompson:** Yes, it has, but it’s quite rare. Historically, qualifying has only been moved to Sunday mornings five times. The majority of those instances happened in places like Suzuka and Melbourne. It’s a unique situation for the teams and drivers.
**Interviewer:** With the forecast not improving, what are the chances of experiencing further delays or changes in schedule?
**Sam Thompson:** It really depends on how severe the weather is. If the rain continues as forecasted, we could see more delays. Teams will have to be adaptable, and the F1 officials will be monitoring conditions closely. It’s important to remember that both teams and fans prefer to see a safe and fair competition.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for your insights, Sam. Let’s hope for the best weather possible for both the qualifying and the race!
**Sam Thompson:** Absolutely! Thank you for having me.
