Carlos Sainz calls for major F1 change as thunderstorms threaten

Carlos Sainz has called for an energy reduction should the forecast prove accurate for race day at the Miami Grand Prix, with thunderstorms threatening.

While much of the weekend at the Miami International Autodrome is set for sizzling temperatures and glorious sunshine, Sunday is looking particularly concerning.

Heavy rain, lightning and thunder are all forecast for much of race day in Miami, in what is a rapidly changing situation due to the uniqueness of the weather in the US state of Florida.

Weather is known to change rapidly in Miami, although the forecast for Sunday throughout the week has pointed to poor conditions. The FIA does have plans in place to avoid too much disruption, although Sainz believes changes to the cars may also be required.

In the eyes of the Williams driver, should wet weather arrive, the electrical energy available should be reduced from 350 kW to either 250 kW or 300 kW.

F1 is no stranger to wet weather in Miami, with last year's Sprint having taken place in very difficult conditions, where standing water was a key issue.

Asked how extreme driving in wet weather could be, Sainz said: "Yeah, it is obviously, I think, at the back of everyone’s heads, what’s going to happen when it’s wet. I’ve always been a bit of an advocate for the 350 kW not being needed and I hope that we could find a way to maybe reduce it down to 250 or 300 for the race. 

"As we saw last year, on the straights, no, a lot of standing water here. It’s a super-flat track, the water stays on the surface and whether that’s going to be safe enough or not, with the walls close to you and the visibility that we have with these cars, it is certainly going to be a concern. 

"But yeah, I hope that we can take all the appropriate actions for it. We can have a good show, a good race. I think all drivers want to drive in the wet. Wet races are a lot of fun. Me, the first one, you guys know I love the wet. 

"But hopefully with the right system and tools in place to make it safe. And also, there’s this lightning risk that I don’t know what will happen with. There are a few things, like the SLM (Straight Line Mode) in the wet only at the front, that I really don’t understand why we have that if it doesn’t reduce the drag much. 

"So yeah, a few things to analyse, to put together, if Sunday is going to be wet, maybe to discuss in drivers’ briefing so we can have all clear in our heads what we should expect and what we should go racing with."