Two Formula 4 races supporting Formula 1’s Japanese Grand Prix have been cancelled due to the threat from Super Typhoon Hagibis.
Organisers announced on Thursday the two non-championship races would not take place in order to give priority to the F1 event schedule.The decision came after all parties involved in running the race said they were “closely monitoring” the approaching storm and “every effort is being made to minimise disruption to the Formula 1 timetable.”The F4 cars were due to run on track following F1 second practice on Thursday, then qualify on Saturday and hold races on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The cancellation of their weekend leaves F1 sharing the circuit only with the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan, which has a single 10-lap race on Sunday morning.
Hagibis threatens to bring heavy rain throughout Saturday which could rule out any running at the circuit tomorrow. The organisers of the Rugby World Cup have announced the cancellation of two matches on Saturday which were due to take place in locations on the storm’s expected path.
F1 drivers are preparing themselves for the possibility they won’t be able to take to the track on Saturday.
“It’ll be pretty clear come Saturday what the situation will be,” said George Russell. “I think we can handle quite a lot of water it’s just the standing puddles, the aquaplaning, that is the biggest limitation for us. I’m sure they’ll make the right decision.”
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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BasCB (@bascb)
10th October 2019, 7:14
I sure hope they DO make the right desicion, it hasn’t been their strong suit before.
Chaitanya
10th October 2019, 7:46
Yep we already saw incompetence in 2014 and they blamed Bianchi for Bernie and Whiting’s mistake.
Jere (@jerejj)
10th October 2019, 8:11
@Chaitanya Well, that was ‘partly’ Bianchi’s fault as well since he drove too fast under double-waved yellow flags, not any single individual’s or party’s fault.
Bren
10th October 2019, 8:21
He did drive too fast under yellows yes but the penalty for that shouldn’t of been hitting a truck that should never of been there. & Ultimately the person responsible for the team that made that decision was Charlie. Had it been an isolated incident then you could say that was bad luck, but it wasn’t. Charlie and F1, FIA or whatever pretty much covered it up.
Charlie should of been told politely but firmly to step down. But no he was treated like a hero. I am sorry that he is dead now and i don’t wish to speak ill of the dead but his actions during the event and after left a very bitter taste in my mouth.
socksolid (@socksolid)
10th October 2019, 9:33
Bianchi did not go off because he drove too fast under yellow flags. He went off because he drove too fast under yellow flags AND too fast to even keep the car on the road. Double waved yellows means you need to slow down and be prepered to stop if necessary because there are track marshalls on the track. How is it charlie’s fault if driver so blatantly ignores the rules?
Chaitanya
10th October 2019, 11:04
@Socksolid : just like this year a cyclone was going to make landfall on the day of GP, and except for Hamilton(who was in clear lead of race everyother driver was complaining of poor visibility. Even after this the race allowed to go ahead as usual, and when Force India had crashed instead of red flagging the race or calling a safety car only yellow flags were waved when there was a heavy recovery vehicle on track. Please tell whose fault is it for allowing the race to start as usual during cyclone or why race wasnt neutralised(SC) when recovery vehicle was sent on track? I suspect the whole reason why Bianchi was solely blamed for accident was to wash Whiting and Bernie of charges of- Gross criminal negligence leading to homicide.
socksolid (@socksolid)
10th October 2019, 23:59
Bianchi’s crash was not caused by lack of visibility. He drove too fast when there were waved yellow flags and collided into the thing the yellow waved flags warned about.
Jere (@jerejj)
10th October 2019, 8:09
You mean following F1 second practice on Friday.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
10th October 2019, 8:49
When I read the first paragraph, my head went
Because the F4 cars are lighter and more likely to blow away.
My head is not right!