FIA F1 Safety Car, Monaco, 2022

Monaco Grand Prix start aborted as heavy rain hits track

2022 Monaco Grand Prix

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The first attempt to start the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix was aborted as heavy rain hit the track.

The starting procedure for the race was suspended five minutes before the formation lap was due to begin as light rain began to fall on the circuit.

However, as the weather radar then indicated more rain was heading to the circuit, the decision was taken to begin the formation lap behind the Safety Car.

“Race control was monitoring a severe downpour that was rapidly approaching the circuit,” said the FIA in a statement. “As it arrived during the start procedure, the Safety Car start and its associated procedures were implemented.

“This was done for safety reasons in consideration that there has been no wet running this weekend.”

The formation laps began at 3:16pm, 16 minutes after they were originally scheduled. A more sustained downpour then hit the track.

At that point, race control decided the start could not be given with the track in its current conditions. After two laps behind the Safety Car, the drivers returned to the pits, still in grid order.

The race has not officially been started. No time for the restart of the race has yet been announced.

This article will be updated

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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22 comments on “Monaco Grand Prix start aborted as heavy rain hits track”

  1. that is not heavy rain. F1 is terrible, why bother developing rain tyres if they dont let them drive in the rain. might as well cancel the race completely, was gonna be a procession anyway in dry or wet.

    1. They’ve done all they can to help Charles. Even a rolling start.

  2. I disagree with the premise of delaying the start due to there being no wet running this weekend, that’s the challenge, they are some of the best driver’s in the and need to figure out. While it did eventually rain heavy enough to justify a Red Flag the race could have and should have gotten partly underway.

    1. That was the most pathetic excuse.

  3. What’s even the point of having full wet tyres? I bet they will wait until it’s so dry that they start in inters…

    1. This is indeed a pattern. It seems F1 has no confidence in Pirelli’s wet weather tyres.

      1. Or it’s drivers.

  4. Perhaps someone could tell the race directors it’s just Houthi missiles instead of rain. Then maybe they’ll start the race.

    1. +1000

    2. 🤣😅😅

  5. This is a joke.

  6. F1 doesn’t know what it wants. On the one hand they celebrate the fluke successes as legendary races to highlight on their online platform, and on the other there is no end to the lengths they will go to prevent such races from ever happening again.

    1. +1

  7. Now we are not racing just in case it might rain later.

    Never seen this in over 40 years of watching F1.

    Boooooooooo!

    1. Boooooooooo!

  8. As much as I enjoy Edwards and Collins along with McNish, this is bloody ridiculous. The most elite Motorsport should be able to navigate rain.

    1. They waited way too long

    2. Was quite surprised by how defensive/supportive McNish was earlier about this delay. He has driven in (much) worse conditions at night, and surrounded by rich bankers and dentists in big GT cars. It was fine then, and it would be fine to race now.

    3. I am only getting used to Collins. I really didn’t like him the last time he was in commentary. His pitlane insights are good, though.

  9. RIDICULOUS. So angry with FIA, just why always delay? For What?!?

  10. RandomMallard
    29th May 2022, 18:12

    IMO, the initial delay was not necessary, but once the rain really start coming down I personally think the Red Flag was the right choice. Not for car control/tyres etc, but because of the visibility. From what I could tell from the cameras it looked pretty atrocious. I wouldn’t want another Perez/Sainz quali situation in that visibility. It took too long to restart though.

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