F1 to receive natural help in battle to combat Japanese GP fire threat

Following a completely dry sweep of the three practice sessions and qualifying, wet weather is expected to roll across the Suzuka Circuit early on Sunday, ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

There is an active area of showers to the west of the country, that is due to pass over the nation during the day.

It is something that could prove useful for F1, after trackside fires interrupted the final two practice hours and the grid-setting session.

The dry grass has been igniting from sparks from the underside of cars. The dampening of those areas should help prevent further disruption. Although, it is not yet clear if the race itself will be impacted by rain.

The grand prix starts at 14:00 local time in Japan, which is 06:00 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and 07:00 across much of mainland Europe.

It is forecast to rain heavily over the circuit on Sunday morning, with five to 10 millimetres of downfall expected. By the afternoon, that inclement weather is anticipated to have cleared.

However, showers are still a possibility, so it is uncertain if and when exactly further rainfall will arrive. Otherwise, a mix of clouds and sunshine is expected.

The wind, which has proven tricky so far this weekend, is not expected to be a factor on Sunday, but will nonetheless blow mildly from North-East to North-West.