The organization of the GP did some grooves in the tarmac in some critical areas(turns 6, 10 and 11) yesterday and today.

That post made me think about Pororocas. When the water strikes in Brazil it does so quite spectacularly.

Btw. German F1 broadcaster RTL says local weather forecasts were predicting 99% rain probability for Sunday.

I think for Lewis and the WDC a dry race is perhapos best. For Lewis & Mclaren and the WDC and WCC respectively, a wet race may be better.

Obi

Weather Forecast have changed their forecast slightly. In short words: It's a washout!

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/...orecasts/latest

Friday Morning: 5mm (Light Rain)
Friday Afternoon: 11mm (Heavy Rain)
Saturday Morning: Clouds
Saturday Afternoon: 4mm (Rain Showers)
Sunday Morning: 4mm (Light Rain)
Sunday Afternoon: 3mm (Light Rain)

what does this achieve?

This is going to be very interesting indeed. I remember last years Brazil race was much hotter than what they are forecasting now. The huge advantage Ferrari had last year will be completely closed up with these much cooler temperatures and showers.

I'm predicting another boring race though. I can see McLaren are going to be stronger than Ferrari if this weather plays out on race day.

The only consolation for Massa is this is his home race and Hamilton is on his 2nd race with his engine. I hate to say it though but McLaren are probably going to dominate this race with these temperatures

*sigh*

Which means another boring repeat of the China race

Whater draining, those are supposed to avoid sitting water.

oh, ok. So they are obviously concerned about standing water. Or is this standard practice at all tracks?

I would guess the organisers have seen the forecasts and prepared in case heavy rain lashes in. It'll look a bit stupid if it hammers down with rain during the race, with rivers running across the circuit forcing red flag - especially in European peaktime.

I can see the logic behind it.

it's not directly because of the forecast. FIA asked for those grooves last week during a final verification on the track.

Updated (4 Days To Go) :

http://www.accuweather.com/world-forecast-...0Paulo&metric=1

Friday, Oct 31 - Rain
Saturday, Nov 1 - Rain
Sunday, Nov 2 - Warmer with rain

http://weather.msn.com/tenday.aspx?wealocations=wc:BRXX0232

Friday, Oct 31 - Cloudy with drizzle - 95% chance
Saturday, Nov 1 - Cloudy with drizzle - 60% chance
Sunday, Nov 2 - Thunder - 85% chance

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/busi...topnav_business

Friday, Oct 31 - Rain - 90%
Saturday, Nov 1 - Showers - 60%
Sunday, Nov 2 - Scattered T-Storms - 60%

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/...orecasts/latest

Friday, Oct 31 - Rain showers (3mm Morning; 2mm Afternoon; Temp 20)
Saturday, Nov 1 - Light rain (1mm Morning; 4mm Afternoon; Temp 20)
Sunday, Nov 2 - Heavy rain (11mm Morning; 2mm Afternon; Temp 22)

Well.......... not much for me to add to that.

Ultimately the championship might be in the hands of the rivers across the track. It could be edge of the seat stuff.

If it will rain I will enjoy Massa driving in wet.

In a dry race, after the 2nd pitstop it would be all over, but in a wet race, it'll be edge of the seat until they cross the finish line

Do you remember Nürburgring 2007? On a wet track anything can happen, even to Lewis. Ironically a wet race could be Massa's best chance for the title...

The least chaotic a race is, the better for McLaren as they only have to bring it home in a Top 5 position. Which should be easy under normal conditions. But rain usually means chaos, so I think in this case McLaren would clearly prefer a dry race than a lottery race.

Please let it be like Brazil 2003. If this happens I will be happy no matter who wins the race or the title.

So does that mean they've put drainage under the track at Turn 3, do you think? Anyone know?

Yeah, a race like that would be nice, but without doing so many laps behind the SC after the start and without a red flag, so that we could enjoy the race in it's full-lenght

I didn't manage a picture, but all I've read suggests thet really did groves on the tarmack, like on airport runways.

Surely grooves in the track will shred the tyres in no time?
I suppose there is some factor of whether the groove are across or along the track, but either way, drivers will be crossing grooves in the corners with the tyres under heavy load. I'd expect this to shave little bits off the tyre surface each time.

I was trying to work this out too. And won't the grooves just quickly fill up with marbles?

Yeah, that's what I thought.... surely it wouldn't be worse if the predicted rain comes?

Nah, if the bridge in Valencia was not an issue there's no problem with a few grooves i guess.

And if it rains - which i seriously endorse - they can only be helpful. Looking forward to an exciting weekend.

rain is massa's best chance to win the title (not to win the race, but the title)

anything can happen

according to the organization, the problems in turn 3 are solved since they changed the banking of the turn a couple of years ago.

Ah fair enough. Saying that, isn't the run down to turn 1 downhill, thus if it rains heavy, wouldn't the water run down and create a swimming pool effect at turn 1?

No it would simply keep on running off the track onto the grass. If anything the biggest puddles that will be

sitting around will be at the bottom of the pit straight because it slopes down hading to pit lane then starts to

climb as you go over the grid hatchings. But wet races in the past have had no problems other than turn 3 2003.

I think rain on Saturday during Q3 will expose Hamilton's greatest advantage. If Q3 is wet, you could see McLarens up front along with the BMW's, Alonso, Vettel, and Kimi. However, I'm still waiting for Massa to show us some real wet-weather pace - he's good enough, he just needs to put it all together.

As to grooved-track: Don't they put small grooves (or aggregate) 3mm to 5mm in depth on highways specifically for rain? It doesn't drain the water as much as it allows the water under your contact-patch to escape (the same concept as sipes in your tire). I don't know if this applies to F1 - it could be that the tire size is so large, the tire-pressure so low, and the speed so high, that water can't escape through grooves in the track surface.

You guys might want to consider that Lewis being on his second race with his engine probably would like to have the race to be a wet one, it would be easier on his powerplant

Well, it is raining now... I can see it will rain, if not during sessions, at least before or after, meaning the track will be greasy or moist sometimes, at least. imHHHo.

And all those river talks are pure nonsence, years from now they don't happen anymore, unless we have a so big Storm race would be under SC anyways...

And as of now, it is really raining, a lot...

how far do u live from the track?

less than 10 Km -- if it rains here it either will rain there, it already rained there, or it is raining there as well...

oh well, keep us informed throughout the week end anyway, cheers.

I'm not expecting much change in the forecast today, let's see what they are now predicting....

Update (3 Days To Go) :

http://www.accuweather.com/world-forecast-...0Paulo&metric=1

Friday, Oct 31 - Cooler with rain
Saturday, Nov 1 - Rain
Sunday, Nov 2 - Rain

http://weather.msn.com/tenday.aspx?wealocations=wc:BRXX0232

Friday, Oct 31 - Cloudy with drizzle - 85% chance
Saturday, Nov 1 - Cloudy with drizzle - 80% chance
Sunday, Nov 2 - Thunder - 90% chance

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/busi...topnav_business

Friday, Oct 31 - Showers - 60%
Saturday, Nov 1 - Showers - 60%
Sunday, Nov 2 - Showers - 60%

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/...orecasts/latest

Friday, Oct 31 - Rain (2mm Morning; 7mm Afternoon; Temp 19)
Saturday, Nov 1 - Light rain (3mm Morning; 1mm Afternoon; Temp 18)
Sunday, Nov 2 - Rain showers (1mm Morning; 2mm Afternon; Temp 22)

It's still the guessing game, I'm afraid. Sunday's weather forecast has changed dramatically looking at the mm thing, and a washout based on the above is unlikely - by guess in 24 hours is that the mm radar would have changed even further....

One key note is that the temperature on Friday and Saturday are struggling to get into the 20's.

EDIT: Weather Forecast has changed..... not much rain Friday, Sunday back to a potentional washout..... Grr at the constant changing.

Cold-ish and greasy at the very least, that's McLaren, STR weather... or used to be..

.. you lot start these weather threads way too early

the weather-forecast.com predictions have changed again

1mm friday morning,0mm in the afternoon

3mm saturday morning,1mm saturday afternoon

6mm sunday morning,5mm sunday afternoon

worth pointing out that theres expected to b 5mm rain tonight (might mean a wet track to start with?) and 6mm rain friday night (see previous comment in brackets)

Good notice. That'd be interesting.... dry qualifying, wet race.

if nothing else (if that turns out to be correct) it'll be a challenge for them to get the right setup-would they sacrifice quali position for a better race setup,or gamble on it being dry on sunday and so running a dry setup for quali?it'll keep changing though-also worth bearing in mind that it may rain after the F1 track action,so even if the track is dry,could easily be starting each of the 3 days with a green racetrack

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/...orecasts/latest

I suggest keeping an eye on the above link for changes in forecast. Done at 16:47 GMT.

Summary: Friday is dry. Simple as. Saturday and Sunday on the other-hand, if predictions stay as they are, will be wet. Light rain is predicted on both days, I'm guessing there will be some heavy bursts at some points during the day. 11mm of rain is predicted for Sunday night, so if that prediction moves forward to Sunday afternoon... the race could be run under heavy rain. In short words:

Friday --> Dry.
Saturday --> Light rain.
Sunday --> Light rain.

Top temperature 22 degrees. I'll post another update before FP1 tomorrow, followed by a late night update tomorrow, and then finally an update, hopefully about mid-day UK time on Sunday. No updates from me on Saturday I'm afraid.

D.M.N. you know you said about if the heavy rain prediction for sunday night moves forward to sunday morning/afternoon?weather-forecast.com now says 16mm rain sunday morning,and 10mm sunday afternoon........if that occurs.........then erm.......yeah,thats alot of rain

I'll wait till the morning to reserve proper judgment on which way in terms of rain the weather's heading.

Friday Update - Two Days To Go

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/...orecasts/latest

Today - Rain showers (2mm Morning; 5mm Afternoon; Temp 18)
Tomorrow - Cloudy (No rain; Temp 20)
Sunday, Nov 2 - Light rain (3mm Morning; 4mm Afternon; Temp 24)

Today and Sunday could be wet; tomorrow dry.

From the live section:

weather.com says 100% chance of rain on sunday

I now say: f*****g yay!

Vettel

given how much the forecasts gave changed all week,im gonna reserve judgement on what the weather may actually decide to do

they've changed because the forecast models become more accurate as time goes on.

Right now we have 19 degrees and deep gray skies. Here a lvery light rain keeps on and on. News I heard on the radio reported it's not raining on the track right now, but it couldn't be more likelly that it will.