McNish backs red flag decision

The event is set to be halted for at least two hours due to the terrible conditions.

"On my second run it was dry at the beginning it was okay, then when it became wet then it was just torrential rain," said McNish.

"Far, far too dangerous to drive. The car was just floating more than actually driving."

The Audi driver said he actually felt the race could have been halted sooner.

"It was a late decision," said McNish. "From my point of view it should have happened five laps earlier, but they wanted to see what the weather was doing.

"Definitely the right decision because otherwise we would have no cars left by now."

Series boss Scott Atherton added that the situation had been exacerbated by the unprecedented level of rainfall in the build-up to the race.

"It was the right decision, and the only one we could take really," he said.

"We have had record rainfall in this region and the water just simply isn't draining fast enough away."