What if it rains?

[hoffy]

I know from what I hear today that if it rains during the one lappers for qualifying that its too bad.

But with the Sunday Warmup gone and the new fuel rules, what happens if race day is wet?

Are they going to have a wet testing, or is it also a case of too bad?

[twig]

If it rains on the day of the race, and in turn, becomes a wet race, the teams still run with the setup they had on the car in qualifying. If this happens, i am not sure if they can start the race with "weather" tyres, or have to pit for them. If this happens, well, Minardi will be looking good wont they?! Im sure for safety reasons they will let them have "weather" tyres for the start.

If the weather is bad enough on the other hand, it is the stewards decision to allow the teams to alter their setups for the wet...if it is bad enough.

[Red]

In one word? Too bad...

Actually they're allowed to do minimal alterations of the setup (front wings - but not removing or adding parts! and to touch suspensions) and change for wet tyres. They only have the grid formation laps at their disposal, to test the track.

[steve nielsen]

the only team that can really change setups is Minardi.

http://uk.weather.com/weather/hourby...umber=0&hour=8

[enemy-ace]

Judging from that forecast it looks like rain for raceday. Which leads one to ask who qualified with a setup that leads more to a wet race. Maybe Ralf and Coulthard who both didn't look particularly out of shape in their qualifying runs but still recorded mediocre times.
I think that Minardi even on a full wet setup will still be at the back. The team and the car just haven't looked very good all weekend.

[EERO]

Minardi haven't looked good because quite simply, they aren't ready. when you have had so little time to get up and running, an extra day can make a difference in your performance. Wet Bridgestones and a wet set-up might just do them some good. Jos is pretty good in the wet.

Stoddart may turn out to be smarter than we thought.

[enemy-ace]

Originally posted by EERO
Minardi haven't looked good because quite simply, they aren't ready. when you have had so little time to get up and running, an extra day can make a difference in your performance. Wet Bridgestones and a wet set-up might just do them some good. Jos is pretty good in the wet.

Stoddart may turn out to be smarter than we thought.

An extra day in the garage won't do much good IMO. What they need is more track time. They may very well make a change and with no way of evaluating that change may completey bugger up anything good they had. It's a gamble I guess they felt worth taking, they can't get any worse. Or can they??

[steve nielsen]

well, they do have data from the saturday FP wich they can now use for the car setup, the cars did more laps in Melbourne so far than they did in testing.

[Jay]

I imagine if it was raining in any significant way, it would be declared a "wet" race and as before the teams would be required to switch their tires to wet tires. I supposed the other way they could get around it is to start under a safety car, and have every car pit on lap one. Either way, there's no way the FIA would allow 20 cars to start on a soaked track with dry tires. Just look at what happened in Spa 1998 with wet tires!

[EERO]

I think you are right, Jay. But the advantage that Minardi could have would be ride height, spring rates and downforce.

But it would be wild to imgine 18 cars on dry tires headed for turn one in a monsoon with the two minnows at the back dancing around them.

[BootsOntheSide]

I think they would allow them to start on wet tyres, but not make any other changes. Or, force them to start from the pitlane if they want to change tyres (are we heading for an empty grid, with 18 cars snaking into the pits, trying to get their pitstops made quickly so they can form up behind the Minardi 1-2 at the front? Just when you think you've seen everything?)

[FIRE]

Source: www.verstappen.nl

[RubberD]

It will be a wet race