F1 Styrian GP Live Updates - final practice and qualifying
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F1 teams have had some wet weather running with the 2020 cars as there was a damp day during pre-season testing - which feels like a lifetime ago - but temperatures were at the other end of the scale back then. But with the same tyres as last year and plenty of wet running to look back on it won't be a blind step into the unknown if qualifying is run today.
A little over an hour to go until qualifying is meant to start but currently the weather outlook isn't favourable. Massive contrast to the sunshine and heat 24 hours ago.
Autosport
Here's the full update on F1's plans for today's qualifying and tomorrow's action: 
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So what looks likely is qualifying will start (or more likely be delayed) at 3pm with regular 15-minute updates. Anyone remember qualifying for the 2017 Italian GP? That started on time only to be delayed by around two hours by rain and the FIA offered up delay confirmations every 15 minutes.
Back to the here and now, FIA race director Michael Masi has clarified the plan for today's qualifying session which is due to start in just over 90 minutes.
"We’ll wait and see when qualifying comes about – the scheduled time 3pm [local time] – and evaluate the weather conditions at that point. [If] the weather conditions are similar to now we’ll delay the start of qualifying and just continue to evaluate as time goes on and see.
"The likelihood is, from what we’re seeing forecast-wise, it will continue but we just need to make a judgement as the day progresses."
"We’ll wait and see when qualifying comes about – the scheduled time 3pm [local time] – and evaluate the weather conditions at that point. [If] the weather conditions are similar to now we’ll delay the start of qualifying and just continue to evaluate as time goes on and see.
"The likelihood is, from what we’re seeing forecast-wise, it will continue but we just need to make a judgement as the day progresses."
Autosport
Looking ahead to next weekend's race in Hungary, there is a tricky situation developing as F1 drivers and team personnel have been warned they risk imprisonment or a 15,000 Euro fine if they break strict lockdown restrictions imposed: 
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Thanks for following along during this rather uneventful (even by FP3 standards) hour and a bit. We'll keep posting irregular updates as we get them on the status of today's running, with two hours until qualifying is scheduled to start.
Suitably gloomy.
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If no running is possible today, F1 has two choices - either alter its Sunday schedule due to more favourable conditions forecast for tomorrow and hold qualifying on Sunday morning, or set the grid by the order of Friday's FP2 session.
Qualifying is scheduled to get underway at 3pm local time, but unless the rain eases off it is unlikely this session will be able to take place on Saturday - although F1 remains hopeful some running can take place.
Autosport
And here's the story, perhaps one of the easier session 'reports' ALEX KALINAUCKAS will write this year... https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/150491/styrian-gp-fp3-cancelled-due-to-torrential-rain
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One man who we expect will be rather relieved to see FP3 cancelled is McLaren's Lando Norris, who had to sit out much of FP2 yesterday due to back pain that was causing him some aggravation. We don't know yet how much he's recovered, but he's well enough to stare down F1's cameras in that cheeky way of his.
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Brawn continued: "We’ll have qualifying tomorrow. We’ve got a schedule tomorrow which means we only lose the Formula 2 Sprint Race and one of the Porsche races. We think tomorrow we can fit everything in, so there’ll be qualifying in the morning. If we can’t do that, then as you know, the FP2 times become relevant, but I hope we don’t need to do that, and I think we’ll have qualifying in the morning."
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Speaking earlier to 2009 world champion Jenson Button, Ross Brawn said: "This is a big front coming through, moving slowly but predictably. There’s a chance maybe at the end of today we’ll get some running, but certainly tomorrow looks fine".
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And it's official, FP3 has been cancelled.
It's often forgotten that Klien was running ahead of Red Bull team-mate David Coulthard in the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix when a gearbox problem caused him to lose drive. Coulthard would go on to score Red Bull's first F1 podium when Rubens Barrichello was penalised for pitlane speeding and the engine in Jarno Trulli's Toyota expired, prompting Chrstian Horner to famously don a Superman cape and jump naked into the pool atop the Red Bull Energy Station. What difference might that result have made to Klien's career? We asked him that and plenty more...
Autosport
We also had Austria's most recent F1 driver CHRISTIAN KLIEN join us on the podcast to discuss what it's like to race at the Red Bull Ring and the best drives of his career to date: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/150454/podcast-why-the-red-bull-ring-delivers-great-racing
Autosport
While we wait, why not have a look through the Autosport podcast? Last night, JAKE BOXALL-LEGGE joined LUKE SMITH to discuss the latest technical updates seen on Friday, including the new components on the Ferrari: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/150486/podcast-have-ferrari-styrian-gp-updates-worked
Brawn now speaking about the "very strong numbers" at last weekend's Austrian GP and praises the drivers participating in Esports for giving fans additional insight into their personalities.
Brawn says the F2 sprint race and Porsche Supercup race will likely fall by the wayside as a result.
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Ross Brawn is currently speaking on the F1 world feed and says qualifying will likely be held tomorrow morning.
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Meanwhile, Mattia Binotto has spoken after Charles Leclerc was given a written warning by the FIA for breaching F1's COVID-19 protocols. Sebastian Vettel was also given a warning after being pictured talking to to Red Bull's Helmut Marko and Christian Horner last weekend without wearing masks.
"The instructions for Charles and Seb and probably the entire team are that we need really to pay attention to how important it is to be here and race for the entire circus," said Binotto.
"I think being distracted on the protocols is not great, we need really to be strict. So this has really raised our attention, our concentration, really paying attention.
"I think both drivers understood that they did something wrong, and I'm pretty sure they will pay more attention in the future."
"The instructions for Charles and Seb and probably the entire team are that we need really to pay attention to how important it is to be here and race for the entire circus," said Binotto.
"I think being distracted on the protocols is not great, we need really to be strict. So this has really raised our attention, our concentration, really paying attention.
"I think both drivers understood that they did something wrong, and I'm pretty sure they will pay more attention in the future."
We certainly hope whoever is currently operating the camera in the helicopter flying above the circuit is enjoying filming the imaginary action out there.
"Thanks Ollie.""/>"We've had a report back from the medical car Michael, they say 'its a bit wet'."
"Thanks Ollie."
Meanwhile, the F1 world feed shows its still raining cats and dogs. Wonder if we'll see teams make boats and float them down the pitlane as per Suzuka tradition?
Back in the present for a moment, we've not had any updates from race control about the session resuming, and Sky Sports F1 is showing highlights of last week's Austrian GP. As you were everyone.
As this picture shows, Villeneuve was actually demoted to fourth by Rubens Barrichello's Stewart on the downhill run to Turn 4, and the Brazilian ran second to Trulli after Hakkinen's demise before a two-stop strategy dropped him back into the pack and he eventually spun off.
Trulli wasn't the only hard luck story of Austria 1997. Mika Hakkinen was pipped to pole by Villeneuve by 0.094s after an engine problem with his first car required to switch him to the spare. He took the lead at the start, only for another Mercedes engine to go bang on lap one. Fortunately, he wouldn't have to wait too much longer for success to come his way, winning the season finale at Jerez.
Indeed, Hill was linked with a move to Prost for 1998, but history shows he made the right choice in switching to Jordan, adding one more famous win to his repertoire at Spa. By contrast, Prost managed just one point all year, scored by Trulli for finishing sixth in the same race.
That 1997 Prost was quite the looker. A decent car, but flattered significantly by the Bridgestone tyres, which would become de rigour in 1998, a year in which the team faded back into obscurity.
And who can forget Jarno Trulli's star turn for Prost, leading the first 37 laps and running second to Villeneuve when his Mugen engine gave up with 12 laps to go? He was rewarded by being benched for the next race as Olivier Panis had recovered from his broken legs sustained at Canada. Such is F1...
It came as Damon Hill's move to Jordan for 1998 was announced, which Autosport described as 'a marriage of convenience' after an unhappy season at Arrows.
Those Jacques Villeneuve fans in the room will recall this race fondly as his the occasion of his 10th F1 win. 'Jacques sets up showdown' declared Autosport on the cover of the 25th Sept 1997 issue.
As you may recall, that was the year F1 returned to Austria on the circuit then-known as the A1 Ring, a much shortened version of the classic old Osterreichring.
Your live attendant had a hefty delivery of old Autosport mags arrive last night, and we've only started to leaf through the 1997 issues. We might have a look to see if we can find that year's Austrian GP report and share a few anecdotes.
11:00 UK time comes and goes like a passing shadow. Let the waiting game (officially) begin.
Strong umbrella set-up by the chap left of shot there.
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
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