Second practice for the United States Grand Prix was cancelled yesterday after bad weather wreaked havoc in Austin.
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A torrential downpour over the Circuit of the Americas, coupled with thunder and lightning, saw the session delayed before it was eventually scrapped altogether.
A message from race control delivered 56 minutes after the session was supposed to start said: “P2 is cancelled. No medical helicopter operations for the next two hours.”
Flash flood warnings had already been issued in the Austin area with heavy rainfall forecast to batter Texas through until this evening.
Qualifying is now also under threat and could to be cancelled if the abhorrent conditions fail to improve over the next 24 hours.
The latest weather forecast suggests up to 30cms of rain could fall in the region and qualifying, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon (21:55 UAE time) may be moved to Sunday ahead of the race.
Earlier, Germany’s Nico Rosberg set the pace in the first practice session – which was also disrupted by bad weather.
Rosberg, who has been cast 73 points adrift of Mercedes teammate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton, posted a best lap of minute 53.989 seconds to finish more than one second faster than the Red Bull of Daniil Kvyat.
Daniel Ricciardo was third in the sister Red Bull, 1.6 secs adrift of Rosberg. Hamilton, who will be crowned champion tomorrow if Sebastian Vettel finishes third or lower, completed only four laps on Friday morning. He was 1.7 seconds slower than his Mercedes team-mate and finished fifth in the standings.
.@nico_rosberg topped the times in Austin before the *real* rain hit >> https://t.co/HsvnJ1LhVW #USGP pic.twitter.com/lLQD3PwO2w
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 23, 2015
Hamilton said: “Nico is going to be gunning for it this weekend, as always. Last year he was on pole here, so I still have to remain with the same focus I have had all year. It’s routine. If you have a winning routine you stick with it.”
The Briton, bidding to become only the 10th driver in Formula One history to win the championship on more than two occasions, has seen his path to glory made considerably easier after Vettel was hit with a 10-place grid drop for taking on a new engine.
Ferrari driver Vettel, who completed 10 laps, was sixth in yesterday’s opening session – marginally slower than the man whom he trails in the championship.
Carlos Sainz was fourth for Toro Rosso with his team-mate Max Verstappen seventh. Kimi Raikkonen finished eighth for Ferrari with Fernando Alonso, who is running an updated Honda engine here in Austin, ninth.
The Williams of Valtteri Bottas completed the top 10. Bottas provided a scare for his Williams mechanics during the session when he lost control of his car as he approached his garage.
Four members of his pit crew had to take evasive action by leaping out of the way.
