Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed the extraordinary difficulties his team faced during the rain-disrupted qualifying session for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, including conditions so severe that drivers were forced to change their racing overalls after their opening laps.
Heavy rainfall brought proceedings at Interlagos to a standstill, leaving teams uncertain about when they would be permitted to return to the circuit. Speaking to Sky Sport F1, the French manager explained how Ferrari dealt with the interruption while remaining prepared for a restart at very short notice.
Fred Vasseur describes extraordinary conditions during Brazilian GP qualifying
The qualifying session quickly became problematic as torrential rain made driving conditions increasingly difficult. Following feedback from the drivers in the opening minutes, the FIA displayed the red flag, bringing track activity to a halt.
Vasseur acknowledged that the conditions encountered on the first lap had been exceptionally severe. The Ferrari team principal admitted that he could not remember witnessing anything comparable during his time in Formula 1, highlighting just how challenging the situation had become.
One particularly striking consequence involved the drivers’ racing equipment. According to the Frenchman, the conditions were so extreme that the drivers needed to change their overalls after completing their opening lap.
Water had also entered the cockpits as the rainfall intensified. The cars remained stationary in the pit lane for several seconds while conditions deteriorated, adding to the difficulties experienced by those involved.
The interruption underlined the challenging circumstances surrounding the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, with the weather becoming a central factor in the running of the qualifying session.
How Ferrari prepared for the FIA’s decision to restart qualifying
With the session suspended, Ferrari faced another challenge: remaining ready to send its drivers back onto the circuit without knowing exactly when race control would authorise the resumption of qualifying.
The Safety Car completed several reconnaissance laps to assess the track, but the initial feedback regarding conditions was unfavourable. The waiting period continued until, approximately an hour after the interruption, race control confirmed that Q1 would resume.
Vasseur explained that Ferrari’s approach during such delays centres on maintaining constant readiness. Whenever the Safety Car is sent out to evaluate conditions, the team recognises that the subsequent warning before a restart could be extremely short.
That means the mechanics must be prepared to get the drivers back into their cars and fit the appropriate tyres immediately once the signal arrives. Rather than knowing precisely when the session will restart, the team has to remain in a position to respond quickly to the FIA’s instructions.
Ferrari supports FIA’s safety-first approach at Interlagos
Despite the frustration associated with a prolonged interruption, Fred Vasseur made clear that he agreed with the need to prioritise driver safety over the desire to resume qualifying.
Speaking to Sky Sport F1, the Ferrari team principal explained that everyone involved wanted to return to the circuit, but he supported race control’s approach and emphasised that sufficiently safe conditions had to be guaranteed before the drivers could continue.
The situation illustrated the difficulties teams encounter when extreme weather interrupts a Formula 1 session. In addition to assessing the changing track conditions, Ferrari had to maintain its operational readiness while waiting for decisions that remained entirely under the control of race officials.
For the Maranello team, the priority was therefore twofold: ensuring it could react immediately to a potential restart while respecting the FIA’s responsibility to determine when the circuit was safe enough for qualifying to continue.
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