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• Third Practice cancelled due to heavy rains.
• Qualifying also at risk of being cancelled and postponed to tomorrow.
• Second Practice's results could be used to determine the starting grid for the race.
• For more motoring stories, go to www.Wheels24.co.za
The third practice session for the Formula 1 Styrian Grand Prix had been washed out.
Following a beautiful sunny day yesterday, the conditions changed for the worst today. If the conditions persist, there is a big chance that we may not have a qualifying session today.
If that is the case, qualifying will be postponed to tomorrow morning; mere hours before the start of the race. This would not be the first time qualifying would be held on the same day of the race, but one does hope that the rain will not come into play again tomorrow.
Proposed grid
In the case that qualifying will not take place, the final results from the second practice will be used to determine the grid. In that case, Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) will be on pole, followed by Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) and the two Racing Points of Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll.
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton will start in sixth place behind Carlos Sainz of McLaren. The two Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel will start in ninth and 16th, respectively.
The third-place finisher in last week's opening race, Lando Norris of McLaren, will start his race tomorrow in eighth place, but a penalty in the first practice will see him drop three places to eleventh.
Daniel Ricciardo will start in dead last, following his spin in the second practice session.
Hoping for the best
If the race starts with the drivers in the positions pictured above, Bottas will be looking to get the better of Verstappen off the line. Bottas leads the 2020 F1 championship from Leclerc and Norris, but he'd want to increase the points difference to especially Hamilton.
Hamilton is the defending champion but has had a tough start to his campaign. He is looking to improve on his showing last week and make up ground to Bottas.
Qualifying is scheduled for 15:00 today - provided it takes place.
