Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Live text
Formula 1 Japanese GP

2010 Japanese Grand Prix Postponed Qualifying

Live Text

Sort by
Newest first
The weather has unfortunately won the Saturday qualifying battle at Suzuka. Conditions were just too wet for racing cars to be safely driven.

Like everyone else, we will be waiting for official news on what will happen to decide the grid for the Japanese Grand Prix. As soon as a new schedule is published, we will publish our own commentary time for qualifying on the AUTOSPORT Live schedule board.

Suzuka will host 'Super Sunday' and we hope you can join us for all the action tomorrow.
Latest from the radar: The ridiculously intense rain will end at around 17:00 JST (90 minutes from now), then it will become lighter.
Vettel is leading applause for the fans in the grandstands who have endured terrible conditions to see little action today.
The session is likely to take place at 10:00 local time, although that is yet to be officially confirmed.
The stewards will shortly publish a decision to officially wave-off the grid deciding session until tomorrow morning.
Qualifying has been postponed until Sunday
The rain is more intense than ever as the safety car rumbles back into the pitlane.
The safety car headlights blaze through the gloom as Bernd Maylander continues a tour in even worse conditions than at the last inspection.
Quote
"I don't think the sun is coming out. There's so much standing water that's running onto the track as well, so I think it's impossible to run qualifying today"
Christian Horner, Red Bull speaking to German broadcaster Sky
The safety car heads out once again as intense rain pounds down on the Suzuka circuit.
The radar shows that another intense pulse of rain is about to pass over the circuit - possibly up to 30 mm of rain per hour over the next 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, the teams continue to entertain themselves with ever more elaborate boats navigating the river flowing down the pitlane.
Many of the grassy areas to the sides of the race track are now holding masses of standing water and forming large puddles.
Looking around the circuit in the increasing gloom, you can really see the problems that the intense rainfall is causing.
We will continue with commentary until the final decision is given by race director Charlie Whiting.
Although qualifying now looks likely to be postponed until Sunday, the final decision has not been taken yet.
Another two inches of rain is expected to fall over the next nine hours before this system finally clears the region.
Some rainfall totals, as it continues to hammer down over Suzuka: 26 mm of rain has fallen (just over one inch) over the last three hours.
There will be further news from race control at 15:20.
The session has been further delayed until 15:30 local time.
Bernd Maylander barely holds on to a major wobble as the big Mercedes navigates a sizable river of water approaching the first Degner.
Conditions actually appear to be worse than at the last inspection as a burst of very heavy rain passes over the circuit.
The safety car is heading out for another track inspection.
As the rain becomes even more intense, it looks increasingly likely that we will not get the qualifying session started today.
Fernando Alonso remains in the Ferrari garage as he chats with the engineers. He is wearing his Ferrari team coat and is in a relaxed mood.
The rain will get heavier in the next few minutes, for around a quarter of an hour, before reducing back to the level we have at the moment
On the radar, a heavy rain cell has intensified to 'torrential' and lies just of few kilometres to the south-west of the circuit.
Meanwhile, it's still raining ...
Schumacher had already taken provisional pole for the event during Friday's session, but his performance on Saturday set him apart as he lapped Suzuka two seconds per lap quicker than Williams drivers Hill and Nigel Mansell.
The second instance of wet Saturday qualifying at Suzuka was in 1994. Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were vying for the title and, 24 hours before the Briton's sensational victory, Schumacher dazzled everyone in conditions that were actually worse than what we see today.
The rain continues to fall unabated, with the session looking increasingly unlikely to take place today.
Another notification is promised by race control at 14:50.
The session will be delayed until 15:00 local time.
The safety car is now back in its garage.
A decision on what is likely to be another lengthy delay is due in a couple of minutes.
The big Mercedes is aquaplaning as Bernd Maylander gives Alex Wurz a tour of the sodden circuit.
The safety car rumbles out of the pitlane to carry out another track inspection.
Steward Alex Wurz is heading out as a passenger in the safety car to help the FIA evaluate the conditions.
Quote
"There is a lot of aquaplaning - even going down the straight. There are some areas where the water is running across the track. It is not possible at the moment to drive. Even if there is a car 10 or 15 seconds in front of you, the spray is still that much that you cannot see."
Timo Glock, speaking to BBC TV
HRT drivers Yamamoto and Senna are waiting out the rain at the back of the garage.

By: Emlyn Hughes, Geoff Creighton

Published: