Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg clocks fastest time during rain-drenched practice for the United States Grand Prix

Home Top

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: England would be mad to try and copy the All Blacks... and why I was staggered by RFU review panel
Manchester City are favourites for the derby, insists Van Gaal ahead of Old Trafford showdown
Pakistan vs England - LIVE: Can Root inspire tourists to first innings lead?
JAMIE CARRAGHER: Perky Payet is the perfect fit for the West Ham Way
Call for Clive: Finally... RFU may involve Woodward in review of England's disastrous World Cup
MARTIN KEOWN: Can Smalling stop threat of whirlwind Sterling?
Guardiola keen to manage Premier League team in the capital if he fails to agree new deal at Bayern Munich
$George Best of Manchester United was best man for the wedding of Manchester City footballer Mike Summerbee to 20 year old Tina Schofield at St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Mottram. \nSeptember 1968 \nP005144$ Best of mates: One shone for City, the other was United's superstar. Summerbee recalls how he and George loved the good life
It's style versus steel: City are promising goals but can they break down dogged United?
Rabbatts' FA probe for supporting former Chelsea doctor Carneiro branded as 'bizarre' by Lord Ouseley
Smalling is now talking Van Gaal's language after staggering turnaround to emerge as future captain
Klopp waits as Sturridge faces another scan on troublesome knee
Mignolet returns to form and Rashid shows great character... but Scotland were clumsy to lose to Australia
'I'm not going to give you any funny headlines': Mourinho delivers another rant as he reacts to 'intrusive' video
Qualifying under threat at US GP after second practice is cancelled due to thunderstorms from Hurricane Patricia
Mourinho refuses to confirm if Hazard will return to the Chelsea starting line-up against West Ham
One man and his dog: Hamilton on verge of history... but there will be no friends or family supporting him
British driver Palmer handed break in Formula 1 after landing a race-seat with Lotus for the 2016 season
The ultimate weekend of sport! Premier League derbies, World Cup semis, Hamilton going for F1 glory, Tests, fights... and NFL at Wembley!
Carry on booing! City boss Pellegrini backs fans in UEFA anthem row
Marcus Bent denies charges of affray and possessing a meat cleaver
The most glamorous picture in sport? Sharapova leads cast of tennis stars at launch of the WTA Finals in Singapore
Gloucester 15-17 Saracens: Farrell's late penalty lands the points at Kingsholm
Sale 27-13 Worcester: Cipriani sends timely reminder in win

Nico Rosberg is 73 points behind Lewis Hamilton in the driver's standings
But he set the fastest time in practice at the Circuit of the Americas
Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to wreak havoc this weekend

By Phil Duncan For Press Association Sport

Published: 13:53 EST, 23 October 2015 | Updated: 15:45 EST, 23 October 2015

View
comments

Second practice for the United States Grand Prix has been cancelled after bad weather wreaked havoc in Austin on Friday.

A torrential downpour over the Circuit of the Americas, coupled with thunder and lightning, saw the session delayed before it was eventually scrapped altogether.

A message from race control delivered 56 minutes after the session was supposed to start said: 'P2 is cancelled. No medical helicopter operations for the next 2 hours.'

Flash flood warnings have already been issued in the Austin area with heavy rainfall forecast to batter Texas through until Saturday evening.

Nico Rosberg was fastest in Friday's rain-hit opening practice session for the United States Grand Prix.

Rosberg is 73 points behind Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the driver's standings

Rosberg and co are expected to compete in wet and blustery conditions this weekend

The bad weather in Texas meant that the second session of practice was cancelled on Friday

Flash flood warnings have already been issued in the Austin area with heavy rainfall forecast to batter Texas until Saturday evening

Qualifying is now also under threat and could to be cancelled if the abhorrent conditions fail to improve over the next 24 hours.

The latest weather forecast suggests up to 30cms of rain could fall in the region and qualifying, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon may be moved to Sunday ahead of the race.

Earlier, Nico Rosberg set the pace in the first practice session - which was also disrupted by bad weather.

The German, who has been cast 73 points adrift of Lewis Hamilton, posted a best lap of minute 53.989 seconds to finish more than one second faster than the Red Bull of Daniil Kvyat. Daniel Ricciardo was third in the sister Red Bull, 1.6 secs adrift of Rosberg.

Hamilton, who will win the championship on Sunday if Sebastian Vettel finishes third or lower, completed only four laps on Friday morning. He was 1.7 seconds slower than his Mercedes team-mate and finished fifth in the standings.

The Briton, bidding to become only the 10th driver in Formula One history to win the championship on more than two occasions, has seen his path to glory made considerably easier after Vettel was hit with a 10-place grid drop for taking on a new engine.

Ferrari driver Vettel, who completed 10 laps, was sixth in Friday's opening session - marginally slower than the man whom he trails in the championship.

Lewis Hamilton is bidding to be the 10th driver in F1 history to win the championship more than twice

Hamilton will win the championship on Sunday if Sebastian Vettel finishes third or lower

Vettel pictured taking on the wet and blustery conditions in America on Friday during practice

Hamilton (lower) was 1.7 seconds slower than his Mercedes team-mate Rosberg on Friday

Carlos Sainz was fourth for Toro Rosso with his team-mate Max Verstappen seventh. Kimi Raikkonen finished eighth for Ferrari with Fernando Alonso, who is running an updated Honda engine here in Austin, ninth. The Williams of Valtteri Bottas completed the top 10.

Bottas provided a scare for his Williams mechanics during the session when he lost control of his car as he approached his garage. Four members of his pit crew had to take evasive action by leaping out of the way.

'Sorry about the pit-lane, there is just so much less grip than I thought,' an apologetic Bottas said.