Suzuka (Japan) (AFP)

The F1 will not ride on Saturday on the Suzuka circuit: due to the passage of typhoon Hagibis, the qualifications of the Grand Prix of Japan are postponed to Sunday at 10:00 local (03:00 French) and the free practice 3 canceled.

This postponement however remains conditioned to the weather on Sunday morning, strong gusts of wind are still expected.

If the qualifications were to be canceled, the classification of the second and final free practice session, dominated on Friday by Mercedes Finns Valtteri Bottas and British Lewis Hamilton, would determine the starting grid the same day at 14:10 (07:10).

The silver arrows preceded Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Monaco's Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Sebastian Vettel of Germany (Ferrari) and Alexander Albon of Thailand (Red Bull).

The best of the rest, behind the top three teams, is Spain's Carlos Sainz Jr (McLaren). Mexico's Sergio Pérez (Racing Point), France's Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso) and Briton Lando Norris (McLaren) complete the top 10. The other tricolor Romain Grosjean (Haas) was 13th.

- FIFA tournament -

It remained Friday night to secure the circuit, including garages and equipment of the stables and F1, before the arrival of Hagibis Saturday. The paddock will then remain confined to the hotel, as recommended by the authorities.

"We will try to relax and analyze the data for qualifying," Bottas predicts. "I'm sure the team will find something to do and take advantage of this extra time to see what we can improve."

Gasly and Vettel will also be playing sports, Grosjean will set up a model of F1 and several drivers will compete at a FIFA football video game tournament organized by Verstappen.

"Due to the expected impact of the typhoon, Mobilityland (GP promoter, ed) and the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) have decided to cancel all activities planned for Saturday, October 12", explained organizers in a statement Friday morning.

"The International Automobile Federation (FIA) and Formula 1 support this decision in the interest of the safety of spectators, competitors and all on the Suzuka circuit," he added.

"It's a good decision, safety must be the priority," said Haas' "main team teammate Guenther Steiner", summing up the general feeling.

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 in 2014, the French driver Jules Bianchi was the victim of a serious accident that later caused his death.

- Manufacturers' title -

The passing of Hagibis also caused the cancellation of two Rugby World Cup matches to be played on Saturday.

The Japan Weather Agency (JMA) Friday judged its cyclonic intensity "very strong", one step less than the maximum level in which the typhoon was ranked previously.

Wind gusts of up to 216 km / h are expected for Saturday at 09:00 local time. JMA expects "brutal winds and a violent sea", as well as record rainfall.

At the time of the 17th round of 21 in F1 this season, the mass is almost said in the Championship.

Among the drivers, Hamilton has 73 points more than his teammate Bottas, 107 more than Leclerc, 110 more than Verstappen and 128 more than Vettel. With 104 units still in play after Suzuka, the Briton can mathematically eliminate this weekend all his competitors except the Finn, that team orders have already reduced to the rank of adjutant.

© 2019 AFP