Typhoon Phanfone threatens F1’s Japanese Grand Prix

FIRST it was a volcano and now Typhoon Phanfone is threatening the running of Formula 1’s Japanese Grand Prix.

SUZUKA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 02: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Infiniti Red Bull Racing walks across the paddock ahead of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit on October 2, 2014 in Suzuka, Japan.

THE Japanese GP is under threat from Typhoon Phanfone with Sky News Weather warning that the race will “potentially be very wet and windy”.

A rain storm descended on the Suzuka paddock on Thursday, but worse may still be to follow with Typhoon Phanfone brewing off the Japanese mainland.

Although the storm is not forecast to disrupt practice on Friday, Sky Sports News Weather have warned that it could bring “very wet conditions” for Saturday’s qualifying hour.

Hung out with some cool cats in Tokyo today #stylefordays pic.twitter.com/k4yidAqSYM

— Daniel Ricciardo (@danielricciardo) October 1, 2014

More “heavy rain” is predicted for Sunday, with the typhoon estimated to hit land about 160km from the isolated Suzuka circuit.

“We might not race because it may be too harsh to race in these conditions,” reported Force India driver Sergio Perez as the sport considered the implications of the predicted onslaught from Mother Nature.

The typhoon is then expected to turn north, hitting mainland Japan on Monday, with torrential rain and destructive winds — up to 240km/h in strength — forecast.

Aussie F1 ace Daniel Ricciardo braves the weather at Suzuka, Japan.

Hung out with some cool cats in Tokyo today #stylefordays pic.twitter.com/k4yidAqSYM

— Daniel Ricciardo (@danielricciardo) October 1, 2014

Sky Sports News understands that while governing body FIA is not yet devising contingency plans, they are open to being flexible with the Sunday schedule should the worst of the weather still be forecast to arrive.

The typhoon is expected to hit around about race time, around about 3pm local time, so it is conceivable that they might try and run the race a little bit earlier in the day.

But even if the storm was to strike Suzuka on race day, a postponement of the grand prix is seemingly out of the question given that this week’s event has been placed back-to-back in the calendar with the inaugural Russian GP.

F1 teams have been hitting social media with photographs of the severe weather, with Lotus describing it as “Godzilla rain”.

We call this Godzilla rain. Rather moist here at Suzuka this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/XUyn7FuuRW

— Lotus F1 Team (@Lotus_F1Team) October 2, 2014

Ironically, the only thing staying dry in the pitlane at Suzuka at the moment are the wets... #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/0M9xmuQ6kY

— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) October 2, 2014

“It’s a circuit where we have had monsoon tyres available, that’s the kind of biblical proportions we have had in the past,” Sky F1’s Martin Brundle said.

“But we have heard this all before and battened down the hatches for storms that haven’t turned up.”

Under the terms of this year’s regulations, the teams are limited to using just four sets of intermediate tyres and three sets of the wets for each car over a full race weekend, a cost-saving restriction that may have the unfortunate side-effect of drastically limited running in Friday’s practice sessions in order to save up those precious compounds for the weekend’s main events.

The Japanese GP weekend schedule has twice been affected by adverse weather conditions in the past decade.

A young Lewis Hamilton fan in Japan.

In 2004, the threat of Typhoon Ma-on saw qualifying rescheduled for race-day morning, while qualifying was again postponed to Sunday due to heavy rain in 2010.

Earlier in the week, there were reports an erupting volcano was threatening to affect this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

On Saturday, Mount Ontake — located less than 200km from the Suzuka circuit — erupted, killing dozens.

Smoke, ash and poisonous gasses are still billowing from the volcano, and Germany’s Bild newspaper reported that just as F1 personnel were flying into Japan, many flights were being delayed or diverted.

“Race organisers hope that all the drivers will have arrived in time for the first practice session on Friday,” said correspondent Nicola Pohl.