Sao Paulo qualifying delayed as heavy rain hits Interlagos

SAO PAULO, Nov 7 : Qualifying for Formula One's Sao Paulo Grand Prix was delayed on Saturday after heavy rain swept across Interlagos, the latest weather disruption at a circuit renowned for dramatic wet races and qualifying sessions.

Rain began falling shortly after the end of the third and final practice session and intensified in the minutes before qualifying was due to start at 3 p.m. local time. Drivers initially left the pitlane as scheduled, but a red flag was brought out two minutes later as conditions deteriorated.

As soon as he joined the track, newly crowned world champion Kimi Antonelli told his Mercedes team over the radio that he was "already aquaplaning". Safety car driver Bernd Maylander carried out assessments of the circuit.

"It's very simple to say it's not drivable, it's too dangerous," Maylander told Sky TV. "A lot of standing water, even on the straights, that creates high-speed aquaplaning."