The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has issued a rare weather warning for the Brazilian Grand Prix, forecasting heavy rain and thunderstorms on Saturday, with an 80% chance of the track being affected. The warning, classified as a level 4, is the highest level of alert on the FIA’s weather system, indicating extremely heavy rain and potential disruptions to the event. The rain is expected to ease on Sunday, but strong winds will still be a factor, with gusts of up to 75 km/h forecast for the sprint and 65 km/h for qualifying.
The weather forecast has caused concern among teams and drivers, with the possibility of qualifying being moved to Sunday morning if the conditions worsen. The FIA has already delayed the start of qualifying, with the new start time expected to be 17:00 local time. The heavy rain and strong winds have prompted the FIA to issue an emergency update, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.
In addition to the weather warning, the FIA has also announced a clampdown on pit-lane impeding, with drivers no longer allowed to stop in the fast lane of the pit lane to create gaps. The move comes after recent incidents in qualifying, where drivers were accused of impeding others by stopping in the fast lane. The FIA’s race director, Niels Wittich, has warned drivers that stopping in the fast lane will be deemed as driving in an “unnecessarily slow” manner and will result in penalties.
Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has been handed a five-second penalty for a Virtual Safety Car breach during the sprint race, dropping him to fourth place. Verstappen has also received one penalty point, taking his total to seven points over the last 12 months. The penalty has reduced his lead over Lando Norris in the World Championship to 44 points.
The Brazilian Grand Prix is shaping up to be a dramatic conclusion to the season, with the weather and FIA warnings adding an extra layer of complexity to the event. With the championship still wide open, the weekend promises to be an exciting one, with all eyes on the drivers and teams as they navigate the challenging conditions.
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