The crucial F1 qualifying session for the Brazilian Grand Prix has been postponed following an announcement from the FIA.
After an exciting sprint race on Saturday, which Lando Norris won, focus shifted to qualifying for the main event.
Max Verstappen, who received a five-second penalty in the sprint that placed him fourth, also faces a five-place grid penalty for Sunday due to a change in his internal combustion engine.
This made qualifying particularly important for the three-time champion as he aims to minimize the impact on his championship lead.
Torrential rain led to the delay of qualifying, with less than 20 minutes until the scheduled start when the FIA declared it postponed due to adverse weather.
Thundery showers were predicted for the circuit, with a 60% chance of rain during qualifying.
The arrival of a significant weather front prompted the FIA to allow teams to close their garage doors to keep their equipment dry.
The governing body later indicated that qualifying might resume under wet conditions at 7:30 PM GMT (4:30 PM local time), pushing the start time back by an hour and a half.
Meanwhile, the Sky Sports F1 team sought shelter in a covered area of the paddock, as heavy rain also forced Red Bull team principal Christian Horner to rush indoors for safety.
