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FIA explain plan if qualifying cannot go ahead today

28 July 2023 at 13:08
Last update 28 July 2023 at 13:09
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  • Toby McLuskie

The FIA has announced that the result of the first free practice session will not determine the grid for Sunday if qualifying is cancelled later on Friday due to weather conditions. If qualifying is cancelled due to rain, every effort will be made to make this session take place at a later date.

"We can confirm that the teams have been informed that Free Practice will not be used to set the grid for either the Sprint or the Grand Prix this weekend," an FIA spokesman told reporters from Belgium. "This has been done to ensure that teams do not treat the first session of the weekend as a competitive session."

The first free practice session will take place in wet conditions. If a qualifying session cannot normally go ahead, the result of the last free practice run will be held. If you are the fastest, you are on pole. So if qualifying cannot go ahead later today, the FIA will deviate from the regulations that usually apply.

Move qualifying option

"While the situation regarding the weather is constantly evolving, the priority will be to run a qualifying session for the Grand Prix. Other sessions may be cancelled or rescheduled to facilitate this, and if it is impossible to run a qualifying then the grid will be set by championship order," the governing body said.

It is therefore not completely out of the question that the Sprint Shootout and Sprint race will be cancelled. So this is a scenario the FIA will take into account if qualifying cannot take place on Friday.