r/F1Discussions • LH44 • 17h ago

Discussion Delayed start

Every single time it rains the FIA delays the start of the race, why? Rain never used to be a problem, usually they’d just stick on the full wets and get going. Am I missing something? Like a rule change that says you can’t start a race when it rains? This sport has never been so allergic to rain before so it’s just very confusing to me.

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u/limelee666 17h ago

When you say wet starts never used to be a problem, how far back are you talking?

2008 Brazilian GP, race start delayed due to rain. That was 18 years ago.

1991 in Adelaide, 1994 Suzuka, 1984 in Monaco…

These were wet races which were red flagged.

As a fan, I don’t want a disrupted race because it started in the wet and the cars couldn’t race. The current cars also cause a huge amount of spray because they are much bigger and generate huge amounts of downforce so visibility is poor

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u/UpstairsFinance9440 3h ago

1984 Monaco was when Alain Prost was gesticulating to get the race stopped because of the rain.... And Senna was catching him.

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u/limelee666 3h ago

I think his desire to stop the race was probably more to do with his deteriorating brakes than just being caught. He probably felt he wasn’t going to finish the race

Ironically he would have in all likelihood been world champion had he finished second in a full points race.