Rain started falling at Interlagos just before qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, leading to several delays.

Originally set to start at 15:00 local time, the qualifying session faced an initial 45-minute delay. However, the relentless downpour and decreasing visibility due to the approaching sunset meant further postponements were necessary.

After a waiting period of nearly two hours, the FIA made the decision to reschedule qualifying for Sunday as with the sunset set for 18:21 local time, officials couldn't find a safe time to hold the session in the bad weather and racing in the dark is not possible in Brazil. 

As a result, the weekend schedule has been adjusted. The qualifying is confirmed to start 7:30 in the morning local time (10:30 GMT, 11:30 CET). The race will start 1,5 hour earlier than originally planned, at 12:30 in the afternoon in Brazil (15:30 GMT, 16:30 CET).

However, there’s also concern about rain in the forecast for Sunday, which raises questions about whether qualifying or even the race can take place. The FIA has stated that qualifying must finish at least three hours before the grand prix starts.

This situation is especially tricky because this weekend features a Sprint race format. If the weather continues to disrupt the schedule, officials will face a tough decision about how to handle the situation for the rest of the weekend.

In case the qualifying doesn’t take place tomorrow, the race starting grid might be set according to a classification of one of the previous Brazil sessions, most likely from the first practice.

This scenario would see Max Verstappen starting from the back of the grid, as he finished in fifteenth place and will incur a five-place grid penalty. Lewis Hamilton would line up in fifteenth position, while Sergio Perez would start second to last.