Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz warned that the rain forecast for today’s qualifying session for the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve could be heavy enough to prevent drivers from being able to set lap times.
Just a few minutes after yesterday’s second free practice session in Montreal, a heavy downpour hit the Canadian circuit, after a thunderstorm also hit the track on Thursday evening. Sunday’s race should take place in dry conditions, but today’s qualifying session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve may be affected by heavy rain and the Ferrari driver feels the session will be disrupted if rain falls in the volumes expected.
“Qualifying could be wet, the race is likely to be dry. So I think we could be on for a bit of an interesting day tomorrow.” – Carlos Sainz said after FP2, just as rain was starting in Montreal: “If this amount of rain comes, then it’s very tricky that we will run. But if it rains as normal, then it will be a good fun to drive around here in the wet.”
Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu, who is racing at the Canadian circuit for the first time in his career, also believes drivers will be facing a difficult qualifying in case rain does arrive.
“I’m just not going predict or doing too much searching, I’ll just turn up in the morning and see how it is,” he said. “But it looks like the rain will drop much more tomorrow and stay dry on the race. Obviously having zero experience, we don’t know how it will be, but definitely it will be quite a challenge because here is basically no space for error. It’s like kind of a street circuit really, you get close to the wall. It will be fun.”
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A few weeks ago in Monte Carlo, FIA F1 race director Niels Wittich made a somewhat strange call to postpone the race start after rain began to fall. He later justified his decision due to the lack of running drivers had experienced in wet conditions up to that point in Monaco. The start of the race was further delayed when it became clear a heavier band of rain was about to hit the streets of Monte Carlo.
Formula 1 has a big window of daylight running to complete today’s qualifying session. Qualifying is due to begin at 4pm local time and sunset is due at 8:46pm.
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