News Summary
- Heavy rain hit Interlagos in the final minute before São Paulo Grand Prix qualifying.
- Four cars pulled out of the pit-lane queue so their teams could switch from intermediates to full wets.
- Drivers reported aquaplaning soon after Q1 began. Isack Hadjar said he needed a “new suit” after returning to the pits soaked.
Race control red-flagged São Paulo Grand Prix qualifying just minutes into Q1 on Saturday after drivers reported aquaplaning at Interlagos. A downpour had arrived in the final minute before the scheduled start, leaving teams to rethink their tyre choice while cars were already queuing to go out.
Four cars pulled out of the pit-lane queue so their crews could remove the intermediates and fit full wets. Other drivers went out on intermediates when the session began. Even at reduced speed, they were soon reporting over the radio that they were aquaplaning.
Hadjar asks for a “new suit” after returning to the pits
Race control brought the cars back in within minutes. When Isack Hadjar returned to the pits, the Red Bull driver was so wet that he told his team he needed a “new suit”.
Rain had been forecast around Saturday’s qualifying session, but its arrival just as the cars were about to go out gave crews little time to react. Earlier in the day, Max Verstappen had topped final practice on soft tyres, edging Andrea Kimi Antonelli by 0.025s.
Qualifying had been scheduled for 15:00 local time. Q1 was suspended at the time of writing, with no confirmed restart time.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the São Paulo Grand Prix in Formula 1 live from Interlagos.
