Late on Thursday afternoon at Interlagos, heavy rain started to fall.

The weather could be a precursor to a wet weekend at the Brazilian circuit, which a year ago hosted a famously drenched qualifying session.

The forecast for Friday is for a mainly fine day, with the chance of showers increasing later on and overnight.

Saturday could be showery and the outlook for Sunday is for better weather, but the conditions in Sao Paulo are often unpredictable — Thursday, for example, was expected to remain dry.

“It’s likely we will have some wet running this weekend,” said Renault driver Robert Kubica.

A third grand prix on the trot looks set to be disrupted by rain.

Bad weather affected the consecutive Japanese and Korean events recently, and rain is already disturbing the teams as they set up early this week at the Interlagos circuit in Brazil.

F1′s first sign of rain came at the weekend, when a golf tournament contested by Rubens Barrichello in Sao Carlos – a city of the Sao Paulo state – was cut short due to heavy rain.

And as the big teams including Ferrari set up at Interlagos on Monday, workers took cover inside the pit garages when a rain storm struck.

For the weekend, the initial forecasts predict possible showers across Friday and Saturday, with a reduced chance of rain for Sunday.

Last year’s Brazilian grand prix, held in mid October, was badly affected by rain, with delays protracting qualifying to an excruciating 160 minutes.

“There’s always a chance of rain,” said local Barrichello this week.

The Formula 1 debut in South Korea on Sunday was the first in Yeongam water. Heavy rain made it impossible to drive safely, so it could really kick in until late.

Several safety car periods dominated the race, which in the course of Sebastian Vettel in the fight for the world title first developed very beneficial – until he was forced to retire shortly before the end of the race with a technical defect.

The victory won after a number of cases the stars of the track Fernando Alonso in Ferrari, which thus takes over in the World Cup standings lead. To second place Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes came in ahead of Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari.
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There were also points to Michael Schumacher at the Mercedes in fourth place ahead of Robert Kubica (Renault), Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India), Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Kamui Kobayashi, Nick Heidfeld (both Sauber) and Nico Hulkenberg (Williams).

No points accumulated Jenson Button one in twelfth place, who must say goodbye to the title fight. The failure list was long and contained, inter alia, Adrian Sutil, Sebastian Vettel, Timo Glock, Sébastien Buemi, Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg.
Due to very wet conditions and persistent rain, the jury decided initially to postpone the start of ten minutes. During the shift, the decision was made to start the Grand Prix of South Korea behind the safety car. Hence the choice of tires was not an issue, for to be behind the safety car to be run in wet conditions with rain tires for heavy rain.

After three laps behind the safety car the race with the red flag has been lost – was on the line so much water that the driver was the dozen radio complained about conditions of impassable. At 16:05 local time, ie with a delay of 65 minutes, the race was again taken up behind the Safety Car. Once again, the conditions were, however, no approval of the race, why was first moved for minutes behind the safety car.

In the 18th Round – at 16:42 clock time – the race was finally released. For the top of the launch went smoothly without a position change. Further back, Kubica and Rosberg grabbed Hamilton, who came to the fourth forward. Button again went past Massa.

In the 19th Round, lost the lead in the standings Mark Webber on a curb in control of his car and crashed into the guardrail. Also for Nico Rosberg the race was over – he could not evade the more Australians and lost the fourth. The race director sent again the safety car on track

The order behind the safety car: Sebastian Vettel in front of Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Jenson Button, Michael Schumacher, Robert Kubica, Nico Hulkenberg, Rubens Barrichello and Adrian Sutil on the tenth. Timo Glock 13, Nick Heidfeld, 17, Sébastien Buemi 21st

In the 24th Round was the race to salvage the cars of Webber and Rosberg are released. This time everything went smoothly at the top. Behind Trulli collided and Senna, which cost the Italians the front wing and forced him to a repair stop. A few minutes later after a failed repair had Trulli off final.

In the 27th Nico Hulkenberg round overtook Renault driver Robert Kubica, Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button and McLaren-Mercedes and Lucas di Grassi retired after a spin with his Virgin.

In the 29th Button and Sutil came round to the pits – both switched to the intermediate tires. It was pitch Button, who was behind some competitors back to the pits. Sutil, however, turned a short time later – it was probably too early for the tire. While increased the pressure on Alonso Vettel, Hülkenberg came in the 31st Round of pit stops and also moved to the Intermediate.

In the 31 Round was the race for Sébastien Buemi went after he failed in an overtaking maneuver on Timo Glock crashed in UK. From Hamilton to third place, all drivers can use at the head of the opportunity and go to the pits – Alonso and Vettel at this stage were already in the pit lane entrance passed.

They both followed one lap later. During the stop at Vettel ran smoothly, there were on the right front wheel of the Ferrari driver is a problem, which the Spaniard fell behind Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren-Mercedes. The order behind the safety car: Vettel in front of Hamilton, Alonso, Massa, Schumacher, Barrichello, Petrov, Hulkenberg, Kobayashi and Kubica in tenth place. Button 12th ahead of Heidfeld and Sutil.

The race was 35th in the Round released. While Vettel was able to pull away again to verbremste Hamilton and slid off the track – by Alonso came back to second place ahead. Vettel has been placed increasingly under pressure from Alonso, who could take the Intermediates much faster than the German

The distances to 40 of 55 rounds: Vettel 2.3 seconds ahead of Alonso, Hamilton 4.2 to, 7.2 ahead of Massa, 14.6 to Schumacher, 16, 0 before Barrichello, 20.7 before Hulkenberg, 21.8 before Kubica, 24.2 before Liuzzi, 28.4 to Kobayashi in the tenth. Eleventh Heidfeld (29.5), Sutil 13th (31.2) ahead of Button (36.3).

In the 41th Round was the race for Vitaly Petrov went. The Russians lost in the chicane before the start and end control of his car and crashed at high speed into the side of the tire wall. It was the car damaged, the Formula 1 driver was unhurt but his car emerge.

Fernando Alonso was in the last dozen laps of the race considerably faster – but he was in the final sector have driven a new best time, although there were waved yellow flags. This could definitely still draw a punishment. Meanwhile Vetetl reported by radio a bad view – it was too dark. A racing demolition would bring him before that date and the full score.

But this idea was in the 46th Round unnecessary – Vettel difference lying with total engine failure in leadership! Fernando Alonso inherited the leadership – and with it the lead in the overall standings. In the 46th Round had run the race for Sutil, who collided with Kobayashi and thereby lost the tenth.

In the 52 Round Hülkenberg had again come into the pits to change tires, so lost eighth place, while Button turned. The situation was difficult for all riders, and the intermediates were partially hardly profile. Thus lost a place to Kubica and Barrichello. Also on the tenth Algersuari briefly slipped off the track – Hülkenberg took the chance and moved past the Spaniard to secure the final point.

Charlie Whiting has admitted qualifying will not take place in Saturday afternoon’s heavy rain.

With the session already officially delayed for 90 minutes beyond the scheduled 1400 start-time, the FIA will wait until 1630 – when the light will be fading – before announcing the postponement of qualifying to 10am on Sunday.

But as bored drivers and team personnel pushed makeshift boats down the pitlane stream, the BBC ceased its live broadcast and the Virgin drivers played poker in the garage, race director Whiting all but admitted the Sunday postponement is now a certainty.

“With so much rain, we cannot start qualifying — not in these conditions,” Whiting told France’s Auto Hebdo website.

He said he will recommend to the stewards that qualifying be held on Sunday morning.

“That’s feasible because there is no minimum time between qualifying and the race,” the Briton confirmed.

Formula 1 is perhaps a chaotic before qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, as the meteorologists expect heavy rain. Already in the morning it rained during the 3rd Free practice without ceasing.

On the route so much water was that the pilots only partially cleared and your car does not even completed a timed lap. Under such conditions, to a regular qualifying out of the question.

At the end there were only two pilots, who are ever a time on paper. Jaime Toro Rosso 1:55.902 Alguersuari in the minutes of the “Fastest”, Timo Glock was in the Virgin followed with 11.595 seconds behind.
The only time pilots without having more than one round of Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso, three rounds) were Nico Hulkenberg (Williams, two laps), Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes, three rounds), Robert Kubica (Renault, two laps) and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes, three rounds).

The Toro Rosso account for the remaining five races of the season is pretty simple: if you are athletic moves on the level of Williams, then you can possibly displace Sauber in the championship yet. But that simple task will not. The Swiss are the Grand Prix in Singapore once again technically upgrading, also is missing at Toro Rosso have to fine tune the latest parts.

“We have long made any points, it has not worked well in Monza,” summarizes Sébastien Buemi. “But if we disregard the views of pure statistics, then Monza was really encouraging. The car was clearly competitive and we must not forget that Hamilton has failed except no one before us. In Monza we were far away from Williams, in Italy, I could but fight with Barrichello at tenth place. We are at eye level. ”
“Now we need to understand our improvements to the car better,” said Buemi. Especially in the F-slot is given to high hopes. “If we use the better, then we may in some of the remaining points race. The team is working hard on the last update of the season. So I am confident for the next race. Singapore should be better than us Monza.”

“I my second race in Singapore will go,” said the Toro Rosso driver. “Last year, the qualifying was quite good in the race it was not bad, but then I had to complain of a technical failure. The event is unique because of the floodlights. The view is good, but very different in daylight. The biggest concern we have, that it might sometimes be a heavy rain. Fortunately, so far it never happened during a session there. ”

The time to get used to the Singapore beat the Swiss in his own words any problems. “But the course is difficult and very wavy. The round is significantly longer than in Monaco. That – coupled with the usually high Tempertauren and high humidity – it’s one of the hardest routes in the seasonal calendar. The setup is on the road course always somewhat tricky, Also, in some curves, the curbs have been modified. ”

Teammate Jaime Alguersuari took the break after the Grand Prix in Monza, in the simulator to re-inject onto the track in Singapore. “I know the course of last year, but it is always good to refresh his memory once again,” said the Spaniard. “Let’s see what we can achieve. In Monza we have taken a step forward. However, should all the races in dry conditions are difficult for us.”

“Look how much we can help our new updates on a road course. There is run with significantly more downforce,” said Alguersuari. “My feeling is that we are Singapore and the subsequent race at Suzuka would be better able to come forward. I hope I can get into the top 10 and get a few points. It’s hard because there are four teams that actually always take points. If none of them fails, then the first eight places are already gone. ”
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Rain appears unlikely to affect this weekend’s running of the Italian grand prix.

Arriving separately in the region near Milan late on Wednesday, Mark Webber and Heikki Kovalainen commented on heavy rain.

“It’s raining in Monza big time and thundering as well, hope it stays like this all weekend,” enthused Lotus driver Kovalainen.

It appears the Finn’s wishes will not come true.

A spell of mild, dry and sunny weather is forecast across all three days of the grand prix weekend, with only a low chance of a light shower on Friday.

And according to the forecast early on Thursday, the chance of rain for Saturday and Sunday diminishes to less than 5 per cent on both decisive days.

Sunday at Hockenheim should host a dry German grand prix.

There has been often heavy rain at the venue since Thursday, despite the fact that the days preceding F1′s arrival in Germany were very hot.

Some of that blue sky could peek through the predicted cloud-cover on Sunday, even though forecasters are not ruling out the possibility of rain.

“We are hoping for some warmer weather,” admitted Red Bull team boss Christian Horner on Saturday, after Sebastian Vettel pipped Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso to pole position by the merest margin of 2 thousandths.

Ferrari and Bridgestone calculated that the gap equated to 15 centimetres at the chequered flag.

Ferrari’s increased pace has the Italian camp determined to finally return to the top step of the podium, after a string of disappointing results.

Inclement weather for Sunday is therefore not on the agenda: “We hope we can finally have a normal race,” said team boss Stefano Domenicali.

Pole sitter Vettel commented: “I heard the weather forecast (for the race) is dry.”

Rain could affect this weekend’s running of the German grand prix.
Although the preceding days at Hockenheim are expected to be very hot, severe weather – including heavy downpours – is predicted to be delivered by a cold front on Thursday and Friday.

Rain is also possible on Saturday, with only a low chance of scattered showers forecast for race-day Sunday.

Teams will be particularly hoping for a dry three hours of practice on Friday, given Bridgestone’s extreme allocation of the hardest and softest compounds for Hockenheim.

The tyre supplier’s Hirohide Hamashima confirmed that weather at the German venue will be crucial.

“If it is hot then the super-soft will be a challenge to manage for stability and durability. If it is cold then ensuring the hard is in its temperature operating window will be a tough task,” he said.

May 15 (GMM)  Fernando Alonso will not take part in qualifying for the Monaco grand prix.

The Spaniard crashed during the Saturday morning practice session, and the impact resulted in unrepairable damage to the monocoque.

It means he must sit out qualifying and then start the race with a new car from the pitlane.

A Ferrari spokesman confirmed the news.

It has also emerged that heavy rain is very likely to fall in the minutes before qualifying.

And a McLaren spokeswoman confirmed reports that a new sponsor – Chigaco-based risk management company Aon – has joined the team.

It rained shortly after the second practice session in Monaco.

As the GP2 cars qualified at the Principality, moderately heavy rain was falling, following a few drops during F1′s final 90 minutes of Thursday practice.

But Mercedes reserve driver Nick Heidfeld told Germany’s Sky television: “A low probability of rain is predicted for Saturday and Sunday.”

Friday is always a rest day in Monaco.

(GMM)

A week of bad weather could lead into a wet 2010 Monaco grand prix.

Weather forecasts said rain in the Principality is expected to persist intermittently throughout the entire race weekend.

Lewis Hamilton said on Monday that McLaren’s forecast is also for “extremely unpredictable” weather and likely “heavy rain”.

The 2008 world champion is also quoted widely as worrying about the effect slow backmarkers will have this weekend on the twisty Armco-barrier lined circuit.

One calculation has shown that if the entire field was evenly spread around the famous street layout, there would be less than 140 metres between each car.

“Even if it doesn’t rain on the Sunday, the possibility of heavily disrupted practice and qualifying sessions means that we’ll probably go into the race with a chance of one of the most exciting and unpredictable Monaco grands prix for many years,” said Hamilton.

(GMM)

May 4 (GMM)  After the processional season opener in Bahrain, assessments about the success or failure of F1′s new format have taken a back seat to the weather.

Rain either shook up the grid order or spiced up the grands prix in Australia, Malaysia and China, meaning that the question of whether the rules should be adjusted has been muted by arguably artificially-exiting races.

And the wait for clarity about the success of the 2010 formula, including the new ban on in-race refuelling, could now be extended into yet another race.

It is currently cold and wet in Barcelona, where about a half-hour north in the suburb of Montmelo round five of the world championship will be staged at the Circuit de Catalunya later this week.

The weather forecast for the city is for intermittently light and heavy rain showers throughout the week, with regular precipitation likely to remain a possibility until at least late on Sunday night when the skies could clear.

Presently, the forecast for Saturday – the day of qualifying – is for a cloudy day with a small chance of rain, while light rain in the morning is expected on race-day Sunday.