F1 set to get wet at Indy

Rain at Indianapolis is normally a very bad thing, as a wet brickyard means no racing. In fact the fastest thing fans will have witnessed on the banking of the spiritual home of American motor racing is the jet-engined truck used to dry the track.

That is all set to change this weekend because unlike the US-based IRL, Champ Cars and NASCAR, the Formula 1 circus will carry on regardless - rain or no rain.

The bad weather is expected to set in tomorrow (Friday) and will get gradually worse over the course of the weekend. As the humidity rises, so will the temperatures, with highs of 24 degrees celsius forecast for Friday practice and qualifying on Saturday. The hour-long qualifying session could fall victim to the brunt of the rain, as thunderstorms are expected throughout the day.

For race day the outlook will remain wet, but the rain should be less intense as showers take over from the storms of the day before. The temperatures are also set to drop on Sunday, with highs of 17 degrees and lows of just 10, which could make maintaining tyre temperature difficult as Bridgestone have constructed an extra hard compound for this weekend.

The anticipation of the first US GP for nine years is already growing with America's only national newspaper USA Today devoting its back page to an F1 preview. Formula 1 cars on the Turn 13 banking should be a sight to behold - but on the banking and in the wet...