Officials to make last-minute decision on Japanese GP

Lewis Hamilton has backed Formula One’s decision to delay whether it will make changes to this weekend’s stormthreatened Japanese Grand Prix.

Rugby World Cup organisers have already cancelled England’s match against France and New Zealand’s game with Italy tomorrow due to the approach of Super Typhoon Hagibis.

Qualifying at Suzuka, which is also due to take place tomorrow, is under threat, with the region’s most powerful typhoon of the year set to bring violent winds and heavy rain to the area.

A contingency plan is in place to move the battle for pole position to Sunday morning before the race, but F1 bosses are not expected to finalise their scheduling until late on tomorrow (FRI).

F1 and its governing body, the FIA, are staging twice-daily meetings with circuit officials and local authorities

F1 remains hopeful that the worst of the typhoon might miss the Suzuka track, situated 250 miles south west of Tokyo. Meanwhile, the race will not be staged on Monday if the cars are unable to run on Sunday.

“They are doing the utmost they can,” said championship leader Hamilton. “I am sure they are preparing, are aware that it is coming, and have procedures in place.”

The four-time world champion said: “I don’t think anybody wants to put lives in danger. There is a forecast, but how many times has a forecast changed?

“We will see what happens as the weekend goes on. It makes sense that when we have more evidence tomorrow night to put together a proposal or an action for qualifying then.”

Lewis Hamilton.