Max Verstappen faces the possibility of starting at the back of the grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix tomorrow. The race weekend has been marred by heavy rain, leading to the postponement of the qualifying session to Sunday.
However, with sustained downpours forecasted for tomorrow as well, the feasibility of conducting qualifying remains uncertain. Current regulations offer no comprehensive guidelines for a postponed or canceled qualifying session during a sprint race weekend, leading the stewards to deliberate over a fair solution.
Two potential scenarios have emerged for determining the grid positions. The first option suggests using the results from the sprint race to decide the grid order. In this particular race, Lando Norris claimed victory after teammate Oscar Piastri allowed him to pass. Max Verstappen, initially finishing third, was demoted to fourth place due to a five-second penalty for breaching virtual safety car delta conditions. As it stands, an additional five-place engine penalty could see Verstappen drop to ninth on the grid if the sprint outcomes are chosen.
Alternatively, the stewards may opt to use the results from the Free Practice 1 session to form the grid. During FP1, Lando Norris once again shone with the fastest lap, while Verstappen endured a challenging session plagued by technical problems, including an air leak that limited his track time. He aborted his run in the third sector, resulting in a P15 finish. Applying another engine penalty would push Verstappen to start from the very last position, P20.
The championship standings also hang in the balance as Verstappen holds a 45-point lead over Lando Norris. A disadvantageous starting position or additional penalties could jeopardize his comfortable lead.
The FIA has shared the following update:
“The Qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix is postponed.
“The decision was taken due to the lack of visibility caused by the level of rain we have experienced in the past few hours. There is a lot of standing water on parts of the circuit which renders conditions unsafe.
“As much as we would all like to see competition on track, the safety of drivers, team members, volunteers, officials and spectators is our main priority.
“A decision on a start time for Qualifying tomorrow morning will be taken as soon as possible.”
