The FIA has flagged Saturday with an “orange alert,” forecasting up to 60mm of rain per hour and winds gusting to 100km/h, putting the sprint and qualifying sessions at serious risk.

Friday’s single practice session ran under dry conditions, but the remaining forecast has put teams on high alert for a potentially chaotic weekend.

Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology has warned that falling trees, flooding, and power outages are all possible as the extratropical cyclone moves into the city region.

The sprint race at 11am local time (1am AEDT Sunday) carries an 80% chance of rain, with delays of up to two to three hours possible.

If the session cannot be completed safely, F1 regulations stipulate that points are only awarded if at least two green-flag laps are run and more than half the distance is completed.

Qualifying at 3pm local time (5am AEDT Sunday) has a slightly lower 40% chance of showers, but Interlagos’ famously unpredictable weather means nothing is guaranteed.

Under new 2025 rules, if qualifying is washed out, the grid would be set by championship standings rather than stewards’ decisions — potentially giving Lando Norris pole, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen.

Sunday’s race is expected to be calmer, with a 20% chance of showers, though overcast skies and damp conditions could still test teams and drivers.