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If the qualifying session that was postponed on Saturday also fails to take place on Sunday in Brazil, Max Verstappen could potentially face a significant competitive setback. The race officials may decide to utilize the final results from the single free practice as the starting grid. This scenario, combined with a five-place grid penalty, would see the Dutch driver starting in the twentieth position, the very last on the grid. Verstappen will undoubtedly be hoping for dry conditions on Sunday morning in São Paulo to ensure that qualifying can proceed without issue.
The Qualifying Situation
The qualifying session was initially postponed to Sunday morning local time (the exact timing still remains uncertain) due to heavy rainfall that rendered the Autódromo José Carlos Pace unsafe for competitive conditions. Should there be no qualifying session on Sunday for any reason, it would create a serious dilemma. The regulations governing sprint weekends, such as in Brazil, do not provide a straightforward method for determining the order of the starting grid. The race officials have the discretion to base the grid on results from a different session, which could be the sprint qualifying or even the free practice itself.
The Risk for Verstappen
In this context, Verstappen would find himself in a precarious situation. He already faces a standard five-place grid penalty due to the use of a new internal combustion engine (ICE). With Verstappen finishing in fifteenth place during the free practice session, this would mean that he would have to commence the race from the very back of the grid. Such an outcome would pose a considerable challenge in his quest for the championship title, especially with Lando Norris poised to start from pole position in that scenario.
What Lies Ahead
In summary, Verstappen is eagerly hoping for two key conditions: firstly, that the weather remains dry on Sunday to facilitate a standard qualifying session; and secondly, if qualifying is indeed canceled, that the officials choose to utilize the results from sprint qualifying as the basis for the starting grid instead of free practice. The possibility of a competitive disaster looms large, but fortunately for Verstappen, the chances of this playing out are relatively low. However, the situation won’t be completely settled until the qualifying session is officially underway.
Current weather forecasts appear favorable for Verstappen, with the official FIA weather report indicating .comy a 20 percent chance of rain during the Sunday morning hours in São Paulo. This optimistic outlook could play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the qualifying session and, subsequently, the race itself.
In the unpredictable world of Formula 1, every second counts, and the interplay of weather conditions and regulations can influence the fate of drivers like Verstappen. As the saga unfolds, fans eagerly anticipate how this will impact the championship race.
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