The start of the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1 race was red-flagged due to heavy rain.
Rain began to fall a few minutes before the scheduled race start time and this led to race control delaying the start procedure by nine minutes until 15.09pm local time.
This was delayed by a further seven minutes before race control decided to start the formation lap behind the safety car at 15.16pm.
The FIA explained its decision to delay the start procedure with a short statement.
“Race control was monitoring a severe downpour that was rapidly approaching the circuit, and as it arrived during the start procedure, the safety car start and its associated procedures were implemented,” it said.
We have a red flag 🚩
The drivers return to the pit lane #MonacoGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/N0CzK2L7cu
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 29, 2022
“This was done for safety reasons in consideration that there has been no wet running this weekend.”
The drivers completed two formation laps behind the safety car before the race was red-flagged and drivers returned to the pits.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner agreed with the decision, telling Sky “now it’s too wet to be having a race out there” while Ferrari poleman Charles Leclerc told his team “it’s raining like crazy” shortly before the red flag was shown.
The grand prix subsequently began under the safety car just over an hour after the scheduled start time, before kicking off in earnest with a rolling start.
