Suzuka (Japan) (AFP)
After winning two matches of the Rugby World Cup, Typhoon Hagibis threatens the Japanese F1 Grand Prix, local authorities and organizers to decide at 12:00 local (05:00 French) Friday on a change of program.
The third free practice session and qualifying on Saturday are compromised due to the expected rain and strong winds, and that of Sunday race is not assured as the weather is still uncertain.
As for the qualifications, which determine the starting grid of the GP, two options are possible: a postponement to Sunday before the race, if it takes place, or the use of the ranking of the second free practice session run Friday. afternoon.
A postponement to Monday is impossible.
The Japanese race has been disrupted by typhoons several times. In 2004 and 2010, qualifying took place before the race on Sunday. In very bad weather conditions in 2014, the French driver Jules Bianchi had suffered a serious accident that later caused his death.
- "Everything is fine" at Ferrari -
On the track side, we want to see the rivalry between quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel and the young wolf Charles Leclerc, partners this year at Ferrari.
After an early start to the season, the Scuderia found success in returning from the summer break at the end of August, winning three of the last four races (Belgium, Italy and Singapore).
But with the victory in sight in the city-state of Southeast Asia and Russia, strategic choices leading to favor one or the other have brought to light the competition between its pilots for the status of No.1.
In Sochi, at the end of September, despite a previous arrangement to win places at the start, Vettel, who was in the lead, was reluctant to give Leclerc back his position as leader.
The German had been left behind, concealing his discomfort behind bravado, the livid and almost mute Monegasque, and Mattia Binotto, the boss of the Scuderia, embarrassed by the "luxury of having two fantastic pilots".
"There was a misunderstanding in the car from the outside, it looked huge but it was not the case, everything is fine now," Leclerc swept the press on Thursday, the two men ensuring give "priority to the team".
- Title manufacturers in sight for Mercedes -
On a circuit where engine power is as important as the aerodynamics, both Mercedes and Ferrari - or why not Red Bull, which has changed powertrain specifically to give maximum chances on the land of his Honda engine - can draw their Pin.
But men in red have more to lose. While in Russia a failure of Vettel's engine has prevented them from converting Leclerc's fourth consecutive pole into a success, there are still many ways to get scuttled. Especially if they can not contain the tensions between the German and the Monegasque.
Whatever happens, at the time of the 17th round of 21, the mass is almost said in the Championship.
Among the builders, the Silver Arrows have, thanks to an unexpected double in Sochi, 162 ahead of Ferrari. With 176 units still to take after Japan, Mercedes can be sacred this weekend if it scores 14 points more than its rival.
Among the drivers, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) is 73 points ahead of his teammate Valtteri Bottas, 107 over Leclerc, 110 over Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and 128 over Vettel. With 104 points still in play after Suzuka, the Briton can mathematically eliminate Sunday all competitors except Bottas. The Finn has been ordered to slow down in Singapore so as not to encroach on Hamilton's chances ...
A sixth straight consecutive drivers and constructors, unpublished, would allow Mercedes to dethrone the Scuderia, sacred six times as a stable between 1999 and 2004 but "only" five times with the German Michael Schumacher over the same period.
© 2019 AFP