Second practice cancelled due to lightning and rain

2015 United States Grand Prix

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The second practice session at the Circuit of the Americas has been cancelled due to the very poor weather conditions at the track.

The session was initially postponed due to the proximity of lightning in the area. That meant marshals and other track workers were unable to tend their posts, meaning the cars could not be released onto the circuit.

Following a one-hour wait during which the conditions worsened, race control announced the session would not be started as it would be impossible for the medical helicopter to take off for at least two hours.

The next practice session is scheduled to begin at 10am local time tomorrow morning, however the current forecast is for the weather conditions to worsen.

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    23 comments on “Second practice cancelled due to lightning and rain”

    1. What if it stays a whole weekend like that? Would the grand prix just be cancelled? Has such scenario already happened in f1 history?

      1. The 1985 Belgian Grand Prix was postponed after the track broke up during practice and was moved to 15th September from its original 2nd June date. Although I don’t see the same thing happening with this race should it be cancelled.

      2. Carey Cummings
        23rd October 2015, 21:09

        I doubt the GP will happen at all. The strongest hurricane in the western hemisphere in recorded history(no, really!), with winds at 200 mph, is going to hit the coast of Mexico tonight, then head twords Texas. The winds will weaken as it crosses land, but the rain will keep coming down. They are calling for 18+” of rain possible for Austin. Check for Hurricane Patricia! If you have friends/relatives in Mexico, please make sure they know its coming. This storm caught everyone by surprise.
        http://thevane.gawker.com/at-200-mph-hurricane-patricia-is-now-the-strongest-tro-1738224692

        1. “Recorded history” is redundant. There is no “unrecorded history”, that’s pre-history, or at most proto-history.

          So, the most powerful hurricane in History.

      3. petebaldwin (@)
        23rd October 2015, 22:57

        Forecast for Sunday is just rain. Storms tomorrow though. We could have Sunday quali with the cars not having had any chance to set the cars up!

        Could be EPIC….

        1. petebaldwin (@)
          23rd October 2015, 22:58

          *teams

        2. Héhé, pretty excited about this race :D

      1. The latest information for the fans at the Circuit of The Americas. Live here: https://t.co/ZjQVpfFUSL #SkyF1 pic.twitter.com/wgQviQCeok— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 23, 2015

    2. Very interesting that they have mentioned Monza 2008 with the amount of rain and things happening. It would be an interesting weekend if we could just a get a similar result. Whether it’s Vettel winning or Toro Rosso winning …

      1. If Verstappen won at a smidgen over 18, that would be unreal. Even a podium!

        1. Carlos Sainz has only 20 days left to become the youngest pole sitter and 21 days left to become the youngest race winner in F1.

          1. WOW. Vettel was young indeed. He almost got his first podium 1 year earlier too and he also became the youngest race leader in that race (Japan’07), and it was his 5th race with Toro Rosso! Just wow. I’ve forgotten all that.

    3. If the race doesn’t take place what will happen to the grid penalties that were supposed to be applied to this race?

      1. @ceevee, I would assume that the penalty would then carry over to the next race. I believe that the wording states that the penalty should be served at the next possible event – if the race is formally cancelled, I would take that to mean that the event has not taken place and therefore the penalty cannot be considered to have been served.

    4. I hope no race, And the new WC is…

    5. Did I just hear Horner trying to get Wolff a fine for missing the PC?

    6. Well done to Daniel Ricciardo on being top of the timing sheets in FP2.

      1. And he also managed to top the sheets with no single lap on the board. WDC material here ;) :P

    7. I have to admit I detest Ecclestone with a passion and after hearing of his latest anti US remarks, I would like nothing more than to have a total washout this weekend.
      I had been an ardent fan of F1 since the early nineties , but he managed to screw up the pinnacle of racing beyond repair.
      He said he can’t get excited about coming to the US and if that’s how he feels then fine. But I’ve got news for Bernie – the vast majority of American race fans can’t get excited about F1.
      So why not drop the US from the schedule next year? Believe me, we will get along fine without you and your 3 ring circus.

    8. What happens to Ferrari grid penalties if the race doesn’t start?

    9. Fans waiting around with nothing to watch. Drivers waiting around with nowhere to drive. If only the drivers (and the rest of the teams) had gone out and mingled with the fans then the day would not have been wasted for either group.

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