An FIA Safety Car, during a rain stoppage at the 2024 Sao Paulo Formula One Grand Prix in Brazil on 2 November. Photo: AFP
Qualifying for Brazil's Sao Paulo Formula One Grand Prix has been rescheduled, after rain and lightning made conditions unsafe on Saturday.
The race will now start at 12.30pm local time on Sunday (Monday, 4.30am NZ time), instead of 2pm (6.00am NZ).
After being delayed for two hours with no improvement in conditions, amid fading daylight, officials decided Saturday's qualifying could not proceed.
"It's a pity, but the conditions are not safe to drive, as simple as that," Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali told F1 television in a pitlane interview, as the rain continued to fall.
"Racing in these conditions is impossible."
The governing FIA said the decision was taken due to poor visibility and standing water.
"The safety of drivers, team members, volunteers, officials and spectators is our main priority," it said in a statement.
Qualifying had been held on a Sunday in the past, most recently at the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, when a passing typhoon forced a delay.
Saturday's sprint race at Interlagos, won by Lando Norris in a McLaren one-two, was held in dry conditions, as was the Friday practice and sprint qualifying.
More rain was forecast for Sunday.
Brazil is the 21st round of the 24-race championship and the last of an American treble on successive weekends.
Red Bull's triple world champion Max Verstappen leads, with his closest rival Norris by 44 points, and any race cancellation would have a huge impact on the title outcome.
If all goes ahead as planned, Verstappen will have a five place grid penalty for the race, after exceeding his engine allocation.
New Zealand's Liam Lawson finished ninth in the sprint race.
-Reuters
