Singapore Grand Prix

[JHS 1]

According to various weather reports it looks like it could be quite wet this weekend.

People already speculating that most the race could be run behind the safety car or even cancelled if it rains hard, due to the glare apparently.

So there may or may not be a Singapore Grand Prix this weekend so....trivia time! When was the last time a race was cancelled outright (not as in it started, they raced for a bit and then it got cancelled, as in the weather was that bad they never started)?

I have no idea, does anyone know?

[Delta 0]

Although this wasn't technically a race cancellation, wasn't Qualifying for the 2004 Japanese GP held back by a day due to a torrential downpour?

[JHS 1]

I believe there was an earth quake or tremor, I think again in Japan, that posponed qualifying for a while too.

[Pucky the Whale 0]

It would be really embarrassing if they had to cancel the race. Rain's just as wet in the day, and the track's well-lit. Glare? I guess they should cancel races due to sunlight, too. That can be glare-y. I'm all for safety, but this seems silly.

[Quiet One 15]

I believe there was an earth quake or tremor, I think again in Japan, that posponed qualifying for a while too.

The closest I can think of is Japan 1975 (I think) when drivers voted not to race because it was too dangerous and finally raced (although Lauda didn't)

[JHS 1]

It would be really embarrassing if they had to cancel the race. Rain's just as wet in the day, and the track's well-lit. Glare? I guess they should cancel races due to sunlight, too. That can be glare-y. I'm all for safety, but this seems silly.

True. This is motorsport, not tiddlywinks. There's always going to be an element of danger, no matter what the conditions are.

[Pucky the Whale 0]

True. This is motorsport, not tiddlywinks. There's always going to be an element of danger, no matter what the conditions are.

Actually, I didn't mean motorsport should be dangerous and that they shouldn't try to be as safe as possible; I more meant that driving in the wet at night on well-lit streets isn't particularly dangerous. Then again, just because some people on 10T think it might be canceled doesn't mean that's a possibility, so we'll see.

[freaky2 1]

If glare was very dangerous for motorbikes, why can't it be dangerous enough for F1 cars? They're stupidly low anyway, you go into a puddle and ba-byyye.

[wapi 4]

It is raining. So what? They are supposed to be best drivers in the world in the finest peace of machinery man can build in the form of race car, so... let them show that in various conditions.

[JHS 1]

It was Bernie's decision to race in the night anyway, so....race!

[HandyNZL 1]

It's not the rain per-se, it's the rooster tails and the fact that one little old rain drop gets smashed up (thats a technical term) into lots and lots and lots (more technical terms) of little itsy bitsy (another technical term) rain drops all off which create glare. For those of us playing at home, go out at night in your car, find a truck to drive behind, turn the wipers off, and see how much you can see in the mist in (1) just your headlights, and (2) when a car coming the other way with its head lights on completely blinds you because of the intensified glare through the mist.

As they are the best drivers, it also means they are not dumb either, and they won't drive when they can not see.

[Rainmaster 7]

It's easy to sit at a keyboard and say they should race no matter what, but if they say glare is an issue I'm inclined to believe them (it's not like these guys don't want to race, you know). Also, as Tanita pointed out, MotoGP has also had this issue albeit at a different track.

My guess is if it does rain heavily they'll just get on with it as usual.

[wapi 4]

Well I do my job regardless of weather

I really think bad weather should not be reason for cancelling race. They should know how fast they can drive in any weather. If it is not safe to drive faster than 60km/h then they should not.

Also if we want F1 to be road relevant, road cars must drive in any weather.

So, let them race and see who has steel balls and skill to adapt car and driving style to the weather.

[Delta 0]

Formula 1 is a racing series, it's never going to be completely road relevant. Due to the tremendous speeds F1 cars pull, and the loads they endure, you cannot quantify this kind of thing in road car terms. Trying to drive an F1 car in conditions where you are practically blinded would be horrendously dangerous, especially around a street circuit where there is little room to move if something goes wrong.

I am all for action, but if safety is at risk, you simply cannot do it. What happened at Indy '05 should be a clear enough lesson to everyone what happens in F1 when safety is concerned.

[Quiet One 15]

Is this argument for real or we are just that bored?

If the guys consider it too dangerous to race, then they will not. End of story. Football ames are suspended for heavy rain and that is barely connected with safety reasons. It's just that is no fun. So stop this nonsense and que sera, sera.

If everybody agrees with me, then please don't post anything here in the next 2 seconds.

EDIT: good.

[Fwon 0]

It would be really embarrassing if they had to cancel the race. Rain's just as wet in the day, and the track's well-lit. Glare? I guess they should cancel races due to sunlight, too. That can be glare-y. I'm all for safety, but this seems silly.

If it is wet, there is going to be loads of spray floating above the track. Add light and you will get a thick bright fog that will make it impossible to see anything. Racing blind basically. You might as well be racing with the lights off. Canceling then wouldn't seem silly to me....

[HandyNZL 1]

Is this argument for real or we are just that bored?

If the guys consider it too dangerous to race, then they will not. End of story. Football ames are suspended for heavy rain and that is barely connected with safety reasons. It's just that is no fun. So stop this nonsense and que sera, sera.

If everybody agrees with me, then please don't post anything here in the next 2 seconds.

EDIT: good.

I disagreed, but the international time zones screwed with my 2-seconds....

Nah, not really, I was at the first race of the NZ racing calendar for 2010/11...and we were in the rain ....so I was unable to agree or disagree or agree to disagree or disagree to agree for that matter.

[yurp 0]

Looking good for the WDC.

If they finish as they quallified we'll get...

WEB 197

HAM 197

ALO 191

VET 181

BUT 177

Still close - Button & Vettel might start to loose touch though.

[Kopite Girl 0]

It's not the rain per-se, it's the rooster tails and the fact that one little old rain drop gets smashed up (thats a technical term) into lots and lots and lots (more technical terms) of little itsy bitsy (another technical term) rain drops all off which create glare. For those of us playing at home, go out at night in your car, find a truck to drive behind, turn the wipers off, and see how much you can see in the mist in (1) just your headlights, and (2) when a car coming the other way with its head lights on completely blinds you because of the intensified glare through the mist.

As they are the best drivers, it also means they are not dumb either, and they won't drive when they can not see.

+1

[Argento Reloaded 1]

The closest I can think of is Japan 1975 (I think) when drivers voted not to race because it was too dangerous and finally raced (although Lauda didn't)

It was 1976...

[Quiet One 15]

It was 1976...

Ah, thank you! It's hust that I was just a 6 years old kid so I got confused...of course, you were much older by then...

[mikathegreat2 2]

Didn't see quali, damn radio show! Good chance for Nando to get 2 wins in a row!

[cavallino 2]

Safety car, Alonso is furiously on the radio asking for Massa to crash.

[Schumikonen 2]

Safety car, Alonso is furiously on the radio asking for Massa to crash.

[Jean Todt 4]

Good call by Webber????