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• The first practice session for the Eifel GP has been cancelled due to bad weather.
• The decision came after it was impossible for the medical helicopter to reach the hospital.
• Mick Schumacher could not drive for Alfa Romeo this session.
• For more motoring stories, go to www.Wheels24.co.za
The first practice session for this weekend's Eifel Grand Prix has been washed out.
With winter in high-season over in Europe, thick mist prevented the medical helicopter from reaching the nearest hospital some 45 minutes away.
While this might not seem like a good enough reason not to have any running, safety is paramount in Formula 1. And the medical helicopter reaching its destination in case of an emergency is far more important than some might realise.
Remember Suzuka 2014?
In 2014, F1 moved to Japan for the Japanese GP around the Suzuka raceway. That weekend, torrential rain also came down, which saw several drivers go off the track. The safety car was out on track at one point, but the conditions made drivability a daunting task for the drivers.
Marussia driver, Jules Bianchi, was driving at the back of the grid, but suddenly aquaplaned off the track and into a recovery truck. He sustained severe damage to his head and succumbed to his injuries in 2015. He was in a coma ever since the accident.
Bianchi's death was the first in Formula 1 since Ayrton Senna's death in 1994, following an accident that took place on the racetrack.
Bad day at the office
Alfa Romeo and Haas F1 opted to give two young guns a run in their 2020 F1 cars in a bid to look at potential talent for 2021. For Alfa, Michael Schumacher's son, Mick, lined up, while Callum Ilott joined Haas. These two young guns are leading the Formula 2 championship and are both in the inside lane to join F1 next year.
However, the weather prevented them from showing their potential, but it is believed that both teams will give these drivers another shot at proving themselves; given that the washout was not their fault.
Schumacher, it is expected, will sign for Alfa Romeo in 2021 to race alongside Kimi Raikkonen.
READ: One chance to secure 2021 race seat? Why Mick Schumacher can't afford to stuff F1 test
