Future starting times GPs possibly earlier in case of bad weather forecast

The Formula 3 race was brought forward so that it could still take place. In the end, the weather conditions did not affect F1 qualifying. Race director Michael Masi says that there will be a discussion to see if the start time of a Grand Prix can be brought forward in case of a bad weather forecast.

In conversation with The Race Masi is asked if that decision depends on the TV schedule. "Not so much TV schedule-dependent… I think it’s something that we’re going to be discussing in the coming weeks. We said that following Spa that there’s obviously a whole lot of strategic discussions that need to take place between the FIA, F1 and the 10 teams, and that’s going to be one of the discussions at the Strategy Group meeting. It’s not just a ‘pluck it out’ scenario, we’re talking about two completely separate governance structures between the three championships [F1 and F2/F3]. Those discussions [about F1] will happen in a proactive matter, we’ll have a look at it and see where we get to.”

Spa situation had no influence on Russian GP

According to Masi, the decisions made this weekend in Sochi to bring F3 forward and cancel the Saturday sessions were not a result of the problems at Spa. "No, not at all. Let’s look at Saturday for what it was."

"If you look at earlier in the day, those that were here at the time saw that there was a window that actually looked OK, which is why we brought the F2 cars into the pitlane. And we’ve always run by principle on those types of scenarios to go session by session, which is what we did. Obviously, there were limiting factors", Masi finishes.