Drivers fear trouble in the race

Both Bridgestone and Michelin have brought tyres closer to intermediates than full wets to Brazil and David Coulthard said: "With reference to the sort of levels of standing water that we had this morning, I don't think we could run a normal race without a Safety Car. And that's what it's there for.

"As you come onto the last part of the start-finish straight you aquaplane and in the traffic you obviously wouldn't see where the puddles were, so it would be the only sensible option.

"I know its always a bit difficult for the public to understand why the best cars and drivers in the world need a Safety Car to help them get round, but it's a fact. You have to consider that we run with a plank about 1mm off the ground, there's aquaplaning and now the one tyre rule. These cars are designed for certain conditions and in the same way that a speedboat wouldn't go around Interlagos very quickly, we wouldn't be very quick across the Med!"

Michael Schumacher backed him up. "It's true," the five times champion said. "You only have to look at what happened in Magny Cours some years ago, even when we had full rain tyres. The conditions were simply too bad and the Safety Car even has to slow down in order that we could follow it."