Austin: The qualifications will take place on Sunday
The rain doesn't spare the Austin circuit. The FIA, after long hesitation, has decided to postpone the qualifying to tomorrow at 3 PM (French time).
It was Pierre Gasly, the Red Bull reserve driver, who best described the situation on Canal +, a few minutes before the supposed start of the qualifications: “For now, aside from boat races, there is nothing to do.” With Hurricane Patricia still raging in Mexico, the city of Austin and its circuit were engulfed in an impressive downpour, leading the FIA to postpone the start of Q1 by thirty minutes.
This delay may only be the first one. As Williams shows, the evacuation is difficult due to the level of rainfall:
#Q1 is delayed by 30mins. Rain is as heavy as it’s been all day, with rivers in the paddock @circuitamericas #USGP pic.twitter.com/RyQAhHVaqD
— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) 24 Octobre 2015
In the event that qualifying cannot take place either tonight or tomorrow morning, Free Practice 3 should determine the starting grid. The top 5 would then be: Hamilton, Vettel, Hülkenberg, Bottas, and Sainz. Rosberg would be 9th, Grosjean 12th, and Verstappen last.
Update: As expected, the FIA has decided on a new delay of thirty minutes.
Update 2: A new delay of thirty minutes has been declared.
Update 3: The FIA uses repetitive comedy. Q1 is postponed again, once more by half an hour.
Update 4: If the weather situation does not improve by 11:00 PM (French time), the qualifications will take place tomorrow at 3:00 PM (French time). It will then be 9:00 AM in Austin.
Update 5: It is now official. The qualifying session will take place tomorrow at 3:00 PM (French time). The race is still scheduled for 8:00 PM. It took six postponements and three hours of patience… or even denial. Remember: we are changing the clocks tonight.
So it’s back to waiting one more time… @circuitamericas #USGP pic.twitter.com/6fq5QTd9fk
— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) 24 Octobre 2015
