Weather is threatening China crisis
FORMULA ONE’S reclusive new owners took the biggest gamble of their brief reign last night when they decided not to move the rain-threatened Chinese Grand Prix forward by 24 hours. Despite a grey sky with such bad visibility that the medical helicopter could not operate — causing most of the first practice session and the whole of the second to be abandoned — Liberty Media’s ‘three wise men’ left their sport prey to the elements. Chase Carey, Sean Bratches and Ross Brawn — the triumvirate who have taken over from Bernie Ecclestone — considered switching the race to today, when the forecast is for better weather, but failed to follow through on the idea. The forecast for tomorrow is less favourable, meaning that a crowd of some 50,000 could be left with nothing to watch if the helicopter is again grounded. That no-show would be an embarrassment on a par with the infamous 2005 American Grand Prix, in which only six cars took part. Yesterday called for decisive action, which was not forthcoming. One wondered how Ecclestone would have acted. Could he, for example, have reached into his extensive contacts book and have won clearance from the local authorities to get the helicopter into the air? In fairness to the FIA, the sport’s governing body, they tried out the roads between practice sessions to see if they could make the 23-mile journey to the official Shanghai hospital in 20 minutes — the maximum time permitted under the rules. They could not, and little wonder given the high level of traffic on the roads. Therefore, a flight is needed. This is a sensitive area for the sport after bad weather meant the helicopter could not leave the Suzuka track when Jules Bianchi was stricken by injuries that consequently killed him in 2014. No chances will be taken. Yesterday was the dampest of squibs, with only Lewis Hamilton lifting the mood by ignoring the ban on walking across the track — while the session is officially alive — to sign and throw caps to fans. The triple world champion was outspoken afterwards. ‘Obviously not a great day,’ he said. ‘There’s a bigger picture. The track was fine and we could have run all day if it weren’t for the clouds. It’s not good for the fans watching on TV and even worse for all those people in the stands, who have paid money to come out here. ‘We need to work together with the FIA and FOM (Formula One Management, led by Liberty Media) to find a solution or an alternative plan in the future. ‘It’s a chance for the bosses to be proactive and be creative.’ It was a dispiriting day on another front, with the Malaysian Grand Prix falling off the calendar for the first time in nearly two decades. Rising costs and dwindling audiences have put paid to it. This year’s staging in October is the last. As for the racing here, there has been such little running that nothing useful has been gleaned. All we can expect is Mercedes and Ferrari to be contesting the spoils at the front. If there is a race, that is.