Typhoon cancels qualifying until Sunday Ma-on due to hit the region on Saturday morning The circuit will remain closed on Saturday The qualifying sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix were cancelled here Friday and moved to Sunday because of the threat of a typhoon scheduled to hit the Suzuka track. Typhoon Ma-on is due to hit the region at 9:00 am local time (0000 GMT) on Saturday and officials have decided to close the track because of concerns over possible winds of up to 200km/h. The sport's governing body, the FIA, confirmed the cancellation and a revised schedule includes pre-qualifying and qualifying taking place on Sunday morning before the race. "On the advice of the local Japanese authorities, given the extreme weather forecast, circuit officials have proposed the closure of the Suzuka circuit on Saturday," the FIA said in a statement. "The stewards of the meeting have accepted their proposal and have cancelled all the sessions scheduled to take place on that date. There will be a revised timetable for Sunday." The pre-qualifying session is now scheduled to take place at 9:00 am local time, followed by the grid-deciding qualifying session at 10:00 am with the race still due to take place at 2:30 pm local time on Sunday. The typhoon, which is yet to hit land, has intensified in strength to a super typhoon but it is understood that once it has passed through the weather will improve significantly. The continuation of the event, however, still depends on the state of the track once the typhoon has passed through the area and teams have battened down the hatches to limit damage. BAR-Honda team principal David Richards said: "Clearly it is an unfortunate situation, more thinking of the fans actually out there, the poor people that have actually sat in the grandstands today." There was limited running here Friday for first and second practice, with world champion Michael Schumacher topping both sessions for Ferrari ahead of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella's Sauber. After taking part in practice Friday, BAR driver Jenson Button said: "It's very dangerous because with so much aquaplaning on the straights if someone spins on the straight it could be pretty disastrous. Every corner you get to you are on a knife-edge because there is so much aquaplaning. You couldn't race in the conditions you had at the end of the session -- it's just way way too wet." Teams spent most of the afternoon packing away their equipment in preparation for the typhoon, with radio masts being taken down and everything being stored in the garages. But Minardi team chief Paul Stoddart said: "The teams will survive I'm sure. We will batten down the hatches but lets hope the aftermath of the typhoon doesn't interfere with Sunday's race. "I think it's bad enough we don't have qualifying tomorrow but if we also have to have a very poor or indeed an aborted race, I think that would be even worse for the fans."
I'm curious as to how the track will be on Sunday as they are expecting 12" of rain.There should be A LOT of standing water to remove before qualifying. Should be an interesting weekend. Kenny K
I'm not so sure that this can logistically can be done. Is there any history of a race in modern F1 that has been postponed a week? Kenny
I can`t see that happening. BAR and Renault are fighting for 2nd place so if they cancel this GP, BAR will have a big advantage. Thats not fair.
Nothing like a fairly dangerous track, monsoon weather, and pressure on drivers at the end of the year to separate the men from the boys. I'll bet a nickel that attrition will be high (<12 finishers) Barring mechanical breakdown or crash, looks like a Ferrari 1-2 to me.
I agree. And I expect a Sauber to finish in the top 5. Remember last year at the US GP, it was raining and Frentzen finished 3rd in his Sauber. I hope Fisichella could do the same!
Agree. Remember thanks to the so called wonder TV they cannot reschedule it. Thus it will be cancelled. I was at Adelaide many years ago (first time I managed to get to a F1 GP) when it rained really hard at the start of the race. They delayed it for half an hour ... the maximum the TV slot would allow and had to start the race. The weather people were telling them to wait just another half an hour and it would be fine ... apparently easy and accurate to predict in Adelaide. BUT they would not budge. Race was a joke and fncken dangerous and I was one pissed off person walking out of the track in perfect sunshine!!!!! Thanks TV, thanks for all the wonderful things money brings to the sport ... NOT! Pete
seems speed channel could squeeze it in. perhaps between " nascar drivers underwear" and " let's ride a chopper and look dangerous". it's sad to think peoples lives can be endangered to fit a time slot. i'm sure by now we can all repeat the porsche commercial. "cool, huh". all three bridgestones spots "when the wheels go round" i do like the one with the girls in high heels though.. so it's not like they'll lose the sponsors. well maybe it'll clear on sunday, although i haven't been having much luck, weatherwise, lately.
