Brazilian Grand Prix: Major storm, delays set to hit Interlagos circuit

SAO PAULO — A major storm appears set to hit the Interlagos Formula One circuit ahead of Saturday’s sprint race, which could have major consequences for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix schedule.

Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology issued an orange storm alert, predicting heavy rain and strong winds in the morning.

Bad weather could continue all day: Formula 1 holds a sprint race at 11 a.m. local time before qualifying for Sunday’s grand prix at 3 p.m. local time.

The FIA ​​confirmed to ESPN that the worst weather conditions are expected to hit the circuit between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., although a spokesperson was quick to point out that expectations could change overnight.

A delay in the sprint race, where Lando Norris will start on pole, could impact the start time of the hour-long qualifying session.

Sunset is at 6:30 p.m. in Sao Paulo, which leaves a short window to move things around. The Brazilian race has become synonymous with bad weather, which has produced memorable and dramatic events for decades.

Last year, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen produced one of the great moments of F1’s modern era, going from 17th place to victory in pouring rain that surprised many in the field.

Bad weather could still benefit Verstappen on Saturday. The championship outsider starts the sprint from sixth position, after lacking pace in the dry.

There are other concerns beyond just the scheduling of sessions. The paddock curfew ends at 6:30 a.m., meaning the time currently considered worst weather would be accurate as team personnel arrive to prepare their cars for the day. The advice to the teams was to keep the garages closed outside of any on-track activity in order to minimize the harmful effects of the weather.

The FIA ​​will monitor the situation throughout the day. If the schedule were to be significantly changed, qualifying could also be postponed to Sunday. The last time this happened was when a typhoon washed out the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix on Saturday.

If qualifying for the Grand Prix cannot take place, F1 rules state that the grid will be determined based on championship position.