• Japanese GP

Typhoon Phanfone still a threat to Japanese Grand Prix

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Sunday update: At 13:00 local time (two hours before the race) rain started falling again after several showers throughout the morning. Both support races were able to run, although the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan started behind the safety car. The rain is expected to worsen ahead of the race start time at 15:00.

Typhoon Phanfone remains a real threat to Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, which is scheduled to go ahead as planned at 15:00 local time.

The storm had been upgraded to a super typhoon in the past 24 hours but has now been downgraded again to a typhoon. Its exact path remains uncertain with some forecasts suggesting it could pass south of Suzuka at about 18:00 local time while others expect it to come close to the track on Monday morning. However, even if it does not strike the circuit directly, the rain bands that come with it are likely to disrupt the grand prix, possibly making it impossible to race.

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The FIA will continue to monitor Typhoon Phanfone and has reiterated that safety is its primary concern. One option would be to run the race behind the safety car for at least two laps to ensure half points can be awarded, but even that may not be possible if the rain is really severe. What's more, with sunset at roughly 17:30, the race has only two and a half hours in which to run rather than the four hour time limit stipulated in the regulations.

Expert on-site meteorologists for UBIMET Steffen Dietz and Andy Swan said: "Probably Phanfone will pass to the southeast of Suzuka. There are also model solutions that can draw the eye directly on the race circuit. In both cases severe structural damage is expected on Monday, with possible widespread severe damage from the second case."

Nevertheless, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is optimistic the race can go ahead.

"Actually I have heard the opposite," he said. "I don't know if the storm is going to be further south, but I have heard that there are going to be banks of rain with dry places in between. At the moment I think we have to just get on with it."

Even if the race does go ahead, the effect on the paddock's plans to pack for next weekend's race in Russia is very likely to be affected. Teams usually pack into the night and continue the following day in order to ensure their precious freight makes it to its next destination on time, but Typhoon Phanfone has a serious chance of disrupting that.

"If you know that this is going to hit you on Sunday night or Monday, the only thing you can do is work flat-out and try to get the freight onto the airplane," Wolff added. "But at the end of the day this is force majeure, if the storm's going to hit transport generally and the planes leaving then we have a problem. Formula One has overcome larger obstacles than 24 hours of delay. But, honestly, I don't know."

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