FIA considers race time change as thunderstorms threaten Australian Grand Prix, potentially even cancel the race altogether – The Australian Grand Prix is bracing itself for treacherous weather conditions, with forecasts showing a high chance of heavy rain and thunderstorms on Sunday. As a result, the FIA is considering moving the start time of the season-opening race to ensure safety.
While Melbourne has enjoyed mostly dry and warm conditions during free practice and qualifying, all eyes are on Sunday’s forecast, which suggests that bad weather could have a significant impact on the Grand Prix.
After days of relatively stable weather in Melbourne, the situation is expected to take a dramatic turn on race day. Weather radars are predicting heavy rain, with the threat of thunderstorms looming over Albert Park. The FIA has the power to alter the race schedule if thunderstorms pose a threat, particularly if there is lightning in the area. The big issue comes down to the fact that the race is held late in the day, which could well see the Grand Prix cancelled altogether if the worst were to happen during it’s regular time slot.
While Formula One is no stranger to wet weather, thunderstorms present a different level of risk. In the event of lightning, both drivers and marshals on the track could be in danger, potentially leading to delays or even the postponement of the event. The FIA is said to be monitoring the situation closely and has informed drivers of the possibility of a last-minute change.
Race time change on the table
The FIA remains committed to ensuring that the Australian Grand Prix takes place as planned, but is also prepared to take the necessary precautions. One of the main options under consideration is to move the race start time forward or backwards to avoid the worst of the storm. This could have a significant impact on race strategy, television coverage and fan attendance.
The possible adjustment was reportedly discussed at Friday’s drivers’ briefing, where teams were made aware of the FIA’s contingency plan. However, no official changes have been made at this stage. The scheduled start time remains at 06:00 UK time (15:00 Melbourne local time), and moving the race time would require consideration of factors such as daylight hours and logistics.
For now, the plan to move the start time remains an option on the table. Unless the weather deteriorates to an unmanageable level, the race is likely to go ahead as planned. The last time a Formula One race was postponed due to weather conditions was last season’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
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One thing seems almost certain: rain will play a part in Sunday’s race. The main questions revolve around the timing and intensity of the rain. Teams are preparing for different scenarios, including a completely wet race, intermittent showers or a track that dries out mid-race, forcing unpredictable tyre strategy decisions.
Despite the uncertainty, some team chiefs have already spoken out about their expectations. McLaren CEO Zak Brown has played down the severity of the forecast, suggesting that the race may not be as chaotic as some fear. Speaking to Sky Sports, Brown admitted that while rain remains a factor, the predicted intensity has decreased:
“It’s getting less likely, but it’s still likely. I’m going to take a raincoat! The chance of rain has dropped from 90 per cent to 60 per cent. It looks like it’s going to be worse in the morning. Maybe it’ll be a partly wet race, not heavy rain that would bring out the red flags.”
Racing Bulls team boss Laurent Mekies, on the other hand, has a far more dramatic outlook. Speaking to Sky Sports, he predicted a race full of unpredictable incidents, especially given the difficult conditions and the presence of several rookie drivers on the grid.
“I think it’s going to be chaos tomorrow. It’s a city circuit, you’ve got six rookies on the track and there’s a lot of rain coming in.”
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Tough decisions for teams on strategy and set-up
The threat of rain has forced the teams to look carefully at their set-ups. Wet weather conditions require significant adjustments, particularly in terms of tyre strategy, downforce levels and suspension settings. If the race starts in the rain and then changes to a dry track, drivers will have to make a tough decision about when to switch from wet or intermediate tyres to slicks.
In addition, visibility becomes a major issue in wet races, with drivers struggling to see through the spray from the cars ahead. Qualifying performance could prove even more crucial than usual, as those starting further back could suffer from reduced visibility and increased risk of accidents.
Historically, rain in Melbourne has produced dramatic races, with safety cars and unexpected podium finishes often upsetting the expected pecking order. If Sunday’s forecast holds true, the first Grand Prix of the season could provide an exciting and unpredictable start to the 2025 Formula One campaign.
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Awaiting the FIA’s final call
For now, the FIA is keeping its options open as it closely monitors the weather. The final decision on whether to adjust the race start time is likely to be made on Sunday morning, once a clearer picture of conditions has been established.
Regardless of whether the start time is changed, teams, drivers and fans should prepare for a wet and potentially chaotic race at Albert Park. The opening race of the 2025 Formula One season has already promised to be exciting, but with the added element of unpredictable weather, it could be even more dramatic than expected.
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The speculation over which team is quickest at the start of 2025 is now finished as Formula One finally ran its first competitive on track session with qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix. As most F1 analysts predicted McLaren were the class of the field claiming a 1-2 grid start with Lando Norris on pole just 0.084s ahead of his Australian team mate.
Yet after the first runs in qualifying three, Piastri and Norris had it all to do with Max Verstappen ominously leading the way. Yet the McLaren pair who ran early for their final push lap in the session, corrected their errors from the first runs and stormed to the head of the field where they remained as the chequered flag fell to end the session.
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The race definitely won’t get called off altogether.
I’m sure that at least the minimum distance requirement for full points will be doable, i.e., 75%, & even though the scheduled start time isn’t late in the day per se with more than four hours of lead time until the sunset time, but postponing the start time is effectively undoable or only viable by an hour at the maximum, but bringing it forward like in Brazil is certainly viable.