The first Grand Prix of the year will take place exactly like the other races of the season, whatever the weather. The old tradition of not running there if it rains is now a thing of the past.
The origin of the absence of a race in the event of rain dates back to the time when the Doha track was lit so that the Grand Prix could take place at night, both to avoid the intense heat of the day but also to benefit from a unique prestige. It was the first time that a GP took place under electric light and the adjustment of the spotlights was particularly careful so that the drivers did not risk being dazzled. Everything went well, and no pilot complained of being bothered by the light.
As a precaution, we decided not to race in the event of rain, so that there would be no stray light reflections on the wet track. But no study had been done, it was a simple precautionary principle. This reached its laudable limits in 2009, when heavy rain on Sunday evening forced the postponement of the race to Monday. But, and this is very important, the race was postponed due to the heavy rain which flooded the circuit, and not to the drivers being dazzled.
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We therefore asked ourselves the question of whether it would not be wise to organize real night tests on a wet track. Especially since motorcycle races have been taking place for decades at night in the rain, such as the Bol d'Or and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (not forgetting Spa, Suzuka, Oschersleben), without any rider never complain about stray glare. In Qatar, as on other circuits where night events take place, the floodlights which are directed towards the track obviously illuminate the drivers from behind, and not from the front.
After the Sepang tests, Loris Capirossi et Franco Uncini (former World Champions and representatives of Dorna and the FIM at the Race Direction) came to film in Doha without the track lighting undergoing the slightest change. “ We provided them with the right bikes, and they first shot in the dry ", has explained Franck Vayssie, FIM Safety Officer of the Superbike World Championship, and Sports Director of the QMMF (the Qatar federation). “ We then moistened the surface of the track. Loris and Franco drove alone, then behind a Safety Car in order to measure the risks of splashing water ". These projections not presenting any particular danger, any more than the risk of dazzling, nothing could prevent the Grand Prix from taking place at night, possibly in the wet. “ This is obviously valid in the event of normal rain, as on other circuits, Frank pointed out. We will not let the drivers ride if the track is too wet ". The IRTA informed its members of the evolving situation, and Michelin was asked to bring rain tires, including for the tests from March 10 to 12.
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After the end of the Grand Prix on Saturday in Assen, the absence of a GP in Qatar in the rain is another world tradition which is disappearing. Curiously, it should be noted that no one knows the exact origins of these traditions with certainty.
Photos: 2016 Qatar GP © QMMF
