F1 Friday practice abandoned at Eifel GP as bad weather continues

Formula 1 drivers were unable to take to the track on Friday after both practice sessions for the Eifel Grand Prix were abandoned amid poor weather conditions.

Friday morning’s opening practice session was delayed and eventually cancelled as rain and cold weather hit the Nurburgring circuit, before FP2 suffered the same fate as the fog failed to lift, meaning the medical helicopter was unable to fly.

F1 running cannot take place if the medical helicopter is unable to arrive at its destination and the nearest hospital is more than a 20 minutes’ drive away from the circuit.

Like in FP1, an initial 30-minute delay to the session starting was confirmed, before a further update announced a second 30-minute delay at 3:30pm local time.

At 4:00pm, with the clock continuing to tick down in the scheduled 90-minute session, the FIA decided to abandon practice altogether.

It means F1’s teams and drivers head into Saturday and Sunday having completed no running during the first visit to the Nurburgring in seven years.

The Nurburgring was one of four new venues added to the revised 2020 calendar as a replacement round for the original races cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

While Friday proved to be a washout, weather conditions look to be much better for final practice and qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday with a minimal risk of rain and sunny spells forecast.

F1 race director Michael Masi said the FIA was working on a series of "backup plans" in case the Nurburgring is hit with similar conditions again. 

"The forecast looks better but we are also working on some backup plans should we have a similar situation so we are able to workaround. We are working on those as we speak," Masi said.

"We will work on the backup plans and then advise everyone accordingly at the same time."

The cancellation of the opening practice session denied Ferrari junior drivers Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott the chance to make their F1 race weekend on-track debuts with Alfa Romeo and Haas respectively.

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said the team will try to rearrange the planned practice outings for Schumacher and Ilott to take place at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.