The rain before the Monaco GP race meant that shortly before 3:00 p.m. (scheduled time), neither the formation lap nor the first lap could start.
The formation lap was initially rescheduled for 3.09pm (local time) in Monaco, but the FIA again delayed the start to 3.16pm, starting the race behind the safety car.
After completing two laps behind the Safety Car , heavy rain caused the race to be red-flagged.
But it has now come to light that the initial decision to delay the start of the race was due to a power outage that caused start systems to fail on the grid (eg traffic lights).
Although they had recovered in time for the race to start behind the safety car, it was decided that problems with the lights and panels on the main straight did not allow for restarts from a standstill during the race.
Mercedes driver and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton said after the race that he thought it would have been possible to do two normal starts, standing still, but acknowledged the “spray was crazy” from the rain, so a pitched start was “the best thing to do”.
In a new rule introduced ahead of the 2020 season, racing can resume after a red flag via a standing start from the grid if deemed appropriate by the race director.
That could have been applicable for the restart after Monaco’s first red flag for rain, which stopped the process for almost an hour, as well as the second restart on lap 31 following the red flag for Mick Schumacher’s accident at the pool.
Several drivers were confused because the race did not start as planned at 3:00 p.m., believing that they could have competed in the wet, on the rain that soaked the circuit.
The FIA said race control was “monitoring a heavy downpour which was rapidly approaching the circuit” and that the decision to suspend the start procedure “was made for safety reasons in consideration of the fact that there has been no wet racing this weekend.” week”.
“They could have started,” Haas driver Kevin Magnussen said.
“Of course, there was a point after that where it was actually pouring rain and the race would have been red flagged. But that’s part of racing.”
“If the conditions are right, they should start. Or maybe give us a crash course in wet driving or something, or take some classes.”
