Weather chaos in Malaysia: the start of the Formula 1 race in Sepang postponed because of heavy rain
The start of the Formula 1 race in Malaysia has been postponed because of heavy rain.
The field, led by pole-sitter Max Verstappen, had been due to get under way at 9am Central European Time at the Sepang International Circuit. But a thunderstorm with lightning and heavy rain hit around 30 minutes earlier, forcing race control to delay the start.
By then, the cars were already on the grid. The drivers took shelter in the dry pit lane while the safety car completed several laps to report track conditions back to race control.
When the race will get under way remains unclear, with the rain still falling and huge patches of standing water on the track. The only certainty is that those in charge must begin a countdown ten minutes beforehand so drivers and teams can get ready.
Out in the stands, the fans refused to let the conditions ruin the mood and sent a Mexican wave back and forth under the covered start-finish grandstand.
"The cards are being reshuffled," said Audi driver Nico Hülkenberg on Sky as he looked at the new situation. The experienced campaigner will start the race from 15th after a weak qualifying session on Saturday.
Has there already been a wet race in Formula 1 this season?
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is on pole position for the 16th race of the season, ahead of Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) and world championship leader Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes). The Grand Prix in Malaysia, a replacement for the race in Bahrain that was cancelled in the spring, therefore brings a first this season: never before have the drivers contested a wet race under the new regulations with a significantly higher electric share in the power unit. The changed rev range makes a slippery track a major challenge in the current cars, and none of the drivers have been able to do much training in those conditions.
Malaysia is staging a Formula 1 race for the first time since 2017 and the venue is notorious for heavy rain. In 2009, for example, the race had to be abandoned after 31 laps, with the drivers receiving only half points for their finishing positions.
