P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Formula 1 is holding a watching brief over the potential risk of weather disruption on Saturday at the Brazilian Grand Prix
Formula 1 is closely monitoring the potential risk of weather disruption on Saturday at the Brazilian Grand Prix due to an expected cyclone hitting the Sao Paulo region overnight.
The National Institute of Meteorology in Brazil has issued warnings about an extratropical cyclone forming in the south and advancing towards the southeast on Friday evening.
Sao Paulo may face heavy rain of 30-60mm per hour and winds up to 100km/h, posing risks of power outages, falling trees, and flooding.
The worst weather is predicted to hit the Interlagos track on Saturday morning before easing, potentially affecting the sprint and grand prix qualifying.
F1’s sporting regulations mandate a three-hour gap between the sprint and qualifying, making a 2pm deadline for completion before considering delays or postponement.
In case of an interrupted sprint, points will only be awarded if the leader completes at least two laps without safety car intervention, with more than half distance required for full points.
If qualifying is abandoned, F1 may reschedule for Sunday morning based on last year’s experience of adapting to challenging weather conditions.
