Report: F1 Set to Axe FP1 as Heavy Rains Welcome First Wet Qualifying Session at Imola GP

We might have our first wet F1 weekend of the season at Imola. The temperatures in the first three GPs were perfect for racing. Moreover, there was less possibility of rain at the initial 3 venues. But as soon as F1 drivers and teams arrived in Imola, they were treated to cold conditions and rain on the track.

While inspecting the track after it has been raining throughout the day, we saw so much standing water while the safety car was driving around the track. The safety car was doing inspection laps so that the Friday qualifying could go ahead as planned.

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Although with so much standing water on the circuit, it is highly unlikely that the FP1 will go as planned. However, if the skies clear soon, the track may be ready for a practice session on the wet tires.

Will F1 have the first wet qualifying of the season in Imola?

We predicted a wet weekend before the sport went to Imola this weekend. It is a very crucial day of the weekend for the teams as this is a Sprint weekend in the sport. This means we will have one practice session and all-important qualifying in the afternoon.

But there have been some reports that if the rain continues, F1 might have to skip the first practice session and go straight to qualifying.

As reported by GPFans, there are high chances of a wet track when F1 cars hit the qualifying session at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. But they might not be that much rain throughout the session that we have witnessed throughout the day in Imola.

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There is a 70% chance of rain during the qualifying session in the afternoon. But there will be a bigger problem for the drivers and the teams if the practice session is canceled and they would have to go straight to qualifying.

The drivers do not have any experience of racing in proper wet conditions in the new 2022 cars. So it would be interesting to see how the teams and their drivers approach the session in the afternoon. Let’s not forget that the qualifying will set up the grid for Sprint that will be held tomorrow.