Due to persistent heavy rain, the last free practice session before the Formula 1 race in Sochi has been canceled.
In the Russian Black Sea city there was so heavy rainfall on Saturday that the safety of the drivers on the route could not be guaranteed and driving was simply impossible.
The race management of the world motor sport federation Fia decided on this step in consultation with the stewards a few minutes before the start.
Fia race director Michael Masi had already said on Saturday morning that the top priority was to go through the qualifying session planned for the afternoon. In the afternoon the rain should be weaker, but you can only drive in daylight. If the qualification, which was initially started on Saturday, cannot be completed properly on Saturday, it could also take place on Sunday morning shortly before the race (2 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for Formula 1 as well as on Sky). That had happened several times in the past.
It is not the first time that heavy rain has affected the Formula 1 schedule this year.
Less than a month ago, the weather in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium ensured that a normal race was not possible.
After a rain farce, in which only a few laps could be completed behind a safety car and Max Verstappen was the first to win the qualification, there was strong criticism of the procedure.