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- #Russian f1 qualifying goes ahead after heavy rain drivers
- #Russian f1 qualifying goes ahead after heavy rain driver
“I think we’ll get qualifying in,” he concluded. “I think some other people tried to perhaps get a bit higher up on the times sheets just in case this session is used for the grid. However Aston Martin CEO Otmar Szafnauer doubts this will happen, and said the team “didn’t alter our programme that much” during second practice as a result. After Formula 3’s first race of the weekend was rescheduled to Friday, it was clear that race organisers were taking the risk of a Saturday wash-out seriously. At the start of second practice, F1 race director Michael Masi was heard confirming to Red Bull that second practice could be used to determine the race starting grid. If no running is possible at all until the Grand Prix start time, it’s possible that second practice times would decide the grid.
#Russian f1 qualifying goes ahead after heavy rain drivers
On a drying track, drivers will take their risks between the barriers knowing that a crash could cast doubt on their participation in the race a few hours later. If standing water drains then it could be, effectively, a dry session – in which case, Mercedes would seem to have an obvious upper hand. Sochi is a very flat circuit, which doesn’t lend itself to rapid drainage.Īston Martin expect qualifying will go aheadIf running proves impossible on Saturday, Formula 2 or Formula 3 may find their Sunday morning session pushed aside to make way for F1 qualifying on a dry or drying track. However Norris’ Spa crash also illustrates the risk of crashing in such conditions.Īs Fernando Alonso pointed out, standing water had been a problem during the one session of wet running at the circuit previously, in 2015. Pierre Gasly, who was third fastest this afternoon, is also often strong in wet conditions. Lando Norris was extremely quick in the wet at Spa – and finished second practice fourth fastest today. A wet qualifying session around the barrier-lined track would present too much risk of damage. It’s unlikely that drivers with nothing to gain – Leclerc and Verstappen (and potentially Hamilton) – would bother to participate. As seen at Spa, qualifying is easier to run in the wet as cars don’t have to follow each other and can avoid the spray that lowers visibility to near-zero. The rain may ease sufficiently for F1 to run qualifying on Saturday afternoon. Heavy rain is predicted for Saturday in Sochi, with little let up before the light begins to fade at around 6pm. The two are likely to move closer towards each other for their race set-ups.Ĭomplicating matters further, Saturday is expected to be very wet. Perez ran a higher downforce level on Friday while Verstappen’s car was trimmed out.
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He was not quick during the Friday practice sessions, only squeaking into the top 10 in second practice, but this was partly a result of Red Bull experimenting with different set-up options.
#Russian f1 qualifying goes ahead after heavy rain driver
The sole Red Bull driver in contention for a start at the sharp end, Sergio Perez, has a good record at Sochi, having never failed to secure a points finish. Bottas was quickest in both of Friday’s sessions and looks a strong bet for pole position.
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If Hamilton does take a penalty, Mercedes are still well-placed to win. Leclerc will join Verstappen at the back of the gridIt could make for the strange sight of the two championship contenders lining up at the back of the grid, with Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and its fresh power unit for company. If they were seriously considering changing Hamilton’s power unit, they now have a strong incentive to do so this weekend, as Verstappen’s points-scoring potential is already seriously compromised. With the championship fight so finely poised, Mercedes cannot afford to risk a race-ending power unit failure. Yesterday Hamilton said “at the moment we have no plans to put in a new engine”. Of course Mercedes aren’t going to signal to Red Bull whether they are likely to change their power units, and haven’t firmly indicated one way or another so far. His team mate took one last time out at Monza. The decision will rest on whether Mercedes believes Hamilton is likely to need a replacement before the season ends. Fitting a new power unit to Hamilton’s car would send him to the back of the grid too Verstappen’s power unit change and consequent penalty means Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas are unlikely to be challenged at the head of the field in qualifying and the race.īut there are suspicions in the Red Bull camp that their engine change for Verstappen may prompt their championship rivals to do the same. The obvious conclusion to draw from Friday’s practice sessions is that Mercedes have the upper hand around Sochi. But another, more surprising change may be on the cards.