F1 final practice cancelled due to heavy rain

Formula 1’s final practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix has been cancelled due to heavy rain at the Red Bull Ring this morning.

Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free

“After consultation and recommendation of the FIA Formula One Safety Delegate the stewards decide that the Formula One free practice three will be cancelled due to the inclement weather and safety reasons in accordance with Art. 2.1.6.a and 11.9.3.m of the FIA International Sporting Code,” the stewards said in a statement.

Rain began to fall at the circuit ahead of this morning’s first Formula 3 race. The F3 cars left the grid as scheduled but the rain intensified throughout proceedings. The race was red-flagged after 14 of the scheduled 24 laps.

The F3 race was abandoned less than an hour before F1’s final hour of practice was due to begin at the circuit. But with heavy rain continuing to fall and further rain forecast throughout the day, the session has been called off.

With further heavy rain expected between now and qualifying, which was due to start three hours later than final practice, doubt hangs over whether qualifying will begin on time.

“We are surrounded by the mountains so it makes it quite unpredictable from our end,” said F1 race director Michael Masi yesterday. “We’ve got Meteo France, who’s the official weather provider for all of the teams and the FIA, and their meteorologists on-site who are continually advising us and keeping us apprised of what’s happening and what it’s looking like.”

Yesterday Masi said contingencies had been put in place to potentially postpone qualifying to Sunday morning, or use the lap times set in second practice to decide the grid.

Don't miss anything new from RaceFans

Follow RaceFans on social media:

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

2020 F1 season

Browse all 2020 F1 season articles

11 comments on “F1 final practice cancelled due to heavy rain”

Sameer Cader (@)
11th July 2020, 11:07
How bad is the weather alleged to be? Any chance of having quali today?? @keithcollantine
1. Pironi the Provocateur (@pironitheprovocateur)
  11th July 2020, 11:13
  I hope there’s still some chance – after all, it’s summer and we can start even at 5 PM. And if the conditions are not threatening for medical transport, I would say the qualifying in drizzle or a light rain is exactly the type of publicity and lure F1 needs right now.
2. HUHHII (@huhhii)
  11th July 2020, 11:25
  I think there’s still chance of qualifying taking place today.
  https://www.yr.no/place/Austria/Styria/Red_Bull_Ring/hour_by_hour.html
DavidH
11th July 2020, 11:13
I guess this nullifies the track conditions for the race tomorrow as well. They’re truly going in blind. Wow could be a very interesting race.
1. Chaitanya
  11th July 2020, 11:39
  If there is a qualifying before the race then they will not be going blind.
mrfill (@mrfill)
11th July 2020, 11:16
The current (as at 1115) forecast is for heavy rain until 1600 and lighter rain until 2200.
Tomorrow forecast to be sunny, dry 19c. Wind up to 8kph from N – NE
ColdFly (@)
11th July 2020, 11:20
If FP3 and quali get cancelled, I wonder if they’ll reimburse the tickets of the spectators.
1. Nitzo (@webtel)
  11th July 2020, 11:56
  @coldfly
  Good point. I was more worried about not getting back the time i would lose in waiting for quali to start.
2. sebsronnie (@sebsronnie)
  11th July 2020, 11:59
  Poor Martin Brindle and Ted Kravitz…
Marton
11th July 2020, 11:50
The rain didnt seem that heavy, it was just normal rain…
sebsronnie (@sebsronnie)
11th July 2020, 12:00
Brundle*