The FIA has released a statement on qualifying: “Safety is our top priority.” And now Verstappen is on edge: could he start from 20th place?
No qualifying today, with hopes pinned on tomorrow: after today’s Sprint, where Lando Norris triumphed over Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc, the fourth-to-last qualifying session of the 2024 Formula 1 season has been postponed to Sunday morning. The drivers are set to (hopefully) return to the track, praying for a break in the relentless rain that hit today.
It’s far from certain that tomorrow morning’s session will take place either. The skies remain grey over São Paulo, and the chances of a repeat of today’s downpour are all too real.
The FIA’s Statement
A statement released by the FIA reads: “The decision was made due to low visibility caused by the intensity of rain over the past hours. Large amounts of standing water on parts of the track have rendered conditions unsafe.”
“As much as we’d all like to see on-track competition, the safety of drivers, team members, volunteers, officials, and spectators is our main priority.” The Federation concluded by stating that a decision on tomorrow morning’s qualifying session start time will be announced as soon as possible.
If qualifying cannot be held tomorrow morning either, the Race Director’s decision will be crucial: they may either base the grid on FP1 results, which saw Norris ahead of Russell and Bearman, or on the Sprint Qualifying results, with Piastri on pole, followed by Norris and Leclerc.
Verstappen facing a 20th-place start for the race!
Tomorrow’s developments could be unprecedented. Should qualifying be canceled, and the grid set according to FP1 results, Max Verstappen would start from the back due to his 15th-place time and an additional five-place penalty. This would be a nightmare scenario for the Dutch driver, putting his championship hopes in serious jeopardy with Norris starting from the front.
More updates, as always, will be available live on GPKingdom’s platforms as we await what could be a decisive outcome for the 2024 championship.
Photo: Oracle Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Ferrari HP
