'Not safe' as Brazilian GP qualifying postponed due to heavy rain

SAO PAULO, Brazil — A prolonged heavy rainstorm led to the postponement of qualifying at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time) as deteriorating conditions and poor light ended the day's action at Interlagos.

The session has been delayed until Sunday morning, in the hope the weather improves, but forecasts have suggested that may not be a foregone conclusion.

Officials later said qualifying will take place on Sunday at 1030 GMT (6:30 p.m., Manila time) with the start of the race brought forward 90 minutes due to concerns over the weather and will get underway at 1530 GMT (11:30 p.m., Manila time). 

As night began to fall, drivers waved to fans on the pit-wall –- giving the big crowd who had waited for more than two hours in the rain -– some reward for their patience.

Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali confirmed the postponement and praised the fans inside the circuit for their patience and support.

"First of all, the fans here are incredible," he told F1TV.

"But unfortunately, we cannot control the weather and it is just not safe to drive. It's as simple as that and problems too with the light make it worse so that's it.

"The plan now is to run in the morning and the final check will be made with a plan and details for the day."

He added: "I have to say the fans here are unique and we thank them for waiting so long, but it is impossible to race today."

The Safety Car was deployed to evaluate the conditions several times with marshals using brooms to clear deep pools of water around the circuit and in the paddock and pit lane.

After several inspections, it was announced the organisers hoped to begin the session a little later, but that proved to be impossible.

Many of the fans were Argentine supporters of Franco Colapinto of Williams who has made an impressive start to his F1 career this year as a mid-season deputy for American Logan Sargeant.

Mercedes driver George Russell said it "looks very wet out there but maybe some places are OK – other places there are big puddles."

His team-mate in seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton joked he wanted improved wet weather tyres so he could go out in the rain, a suggestion laughed off by Domenicali.

"Lewis wants to race," he said. "But it is too dark for that."

The expectation among paddock observers was that qualifying would begin at 0900 local time (8:00 p.m., Manila time) on Sunday when world champion and series leader Max Verstappen will start the race with a five-place grid penalty for taking a new engine, his sixth of the season.

Verstappen was penalised earlier on Saturday for an infringement of the Virtual Safety Car rules which cost him seconds and dropped him from third to fourth in the sprint race behind the triumphant McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri with Charles Leclerc promoted to third for Ferrari.

This result permitted Norris to trim the Dutchman's lead in the title race by three points to 44 with four Grands Prix and one sprint race remaining this year.