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Formula 1
Canadian GP
2011 Canadian Grand Prix The Canadian Grand Prix
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The Mercedes sportscars slosh through some very deep puddles off-line on the back straight.
Rest assured, we will continue with commentary through to the end of the race - whenever that may be.
Officials are driving round the track in course cars assessing the level of standing water.
Some saturated marshals continue doing their best to clear the track with brooms.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is boldly walking down the circuit with an umbrella to assess conditions for himself. He'll find it's wet...
Just a few miles to the north conditions are clearing, but the circuit is now sitting as the northern edge of this latest band of rain and the downpour continues.
The radar shows that this heavy rain may continue for another 20 minutes or so. That shower line is continuing to feed more rain in from the south-west.
Both Renault drivers have opted for the garage now.
Differing red flag strategies at Mercedes: while Schumacher hangs out with rally drivers, Rosberg remains in the cockpit, helmet on and talking with his engineers.
Hamilton has told interviewers that the team ordered him to park because of his suspension damage - but he believes he only had a puncture.
Hamilton's car has made it back to the pitlane behind its truck.
As TV cameras focus in on the water building up on the cover over one of the Ferraris, a mechanic dutifully clears the puddle away.
A relaxed looking Schumacher is back in the Mercedes garage, wrapped up in a cosy top and chatting with guest Ken Block.
Hamilton's damaged car is being brought back to the pits, dangling behind a truck.
Several drivers had not stopped when the red flag came out. Kobayashi in second, Heidfeld fourth, Petrov fifth, di Resta sixth, de la Rosa ninth and Glock 15th and Karthikeyan in 19th place.
Lewis Hamilton is the only retirement so far, having clashed with McLaren team-mate Button in the early stages.
Kovalainen is 21st for Lotus ahead of team-mate Trulli and D'Ambrosio is last in 23rd.
Barrichello was working his way up the field and is 16th with Liuzzi 17th, Buemi 18th, Karthikeyan 19th and Maldonado 20th.
Button rounds out the top 10, ahead of Rosberg 11th, Schumacher 12th, Sutil 13th, Alguersuari 14th and Glock 15th.
Webber had climbed back up the field to seventh after spinning on the first lap, with Alonso down to eighth and de la Rosa in ninth.
Vettel leads the sensational Kobayashi, with Massa third, Heidfeld up to fourth, Petrov fifth and di Resta in sixth place.
While the race remains under red flag condition, let's take a look at the order after 24 laps ...
Kobayashi remains in his car, totally enveloped in a cover.
All teams have now put covers over their cars, while Mercedes has erected a small awning.
Marshals in curious vehicles are trying to blow a huge amount of water off the circuit.
The radar does suggest that the rain will ease off in the next 20 minutes or so, and clear the area completely in around 45 minutes, but that is clerly under 'nowcast' review as images continue to feed in.
Petrov remains in the Renault, eyes closed, sheltering under an umbrella.
As the rain gets even harder, teams are covering their cars on the grid.
Alonso, still in helmet and KERS, walks off the grid and heads into the pitlane.
It is absolutely impossible to try and run a Formula 1 car effectively in the conditions we have right now.
Puddles are growing around the circuit as the rain continues to pound down.
The rain is absolutely lashing down on the start-finish straight.
Third-placed Massa climbs out of his car.
The Red Bulls and Ferraris were on fresh wets already, whereas the rest of the lead pack already had 24 laps on their tyres.
We've taken a look at the latest local radar images. This rain is likely to continue with this intensity for another 30 minutes or so.
But drivers can switch to fresh sets of wets on the grid if they wish.
As the race will begin again under the safety car, everyone will have to be on wet for the restart whatever happens with the weather now.
Leader Vettel stays in his sodden car as a crew member brings him an umbrella.
With many drivers complaining over the radio about the intensity of the rain, the poor visibility and the standing water, the red flag is no surprise.
The safety car brings the field to a halt on the pits straight.
By: Emlyn Hughes, Matt Beer
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