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Circuit de Monaco

Monaco Grand Prix start delay explanation revealed

Circuit de Monaco — Photo: © LAT Images

Monaco Grand Prix start delay explanation revealed

Race started 65 minutes after original start time

A power outage following a torrential downpour has been cited as the reason for the lengthy delay to the start of the Monaco Grand Prix.

Rain started to fall around 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time of 3pm local [2pm UK], forcing all the teams to frantically replace the slick tyres on their cars for intermediates.

With heavy rain forecast soon after the start, race director Eduardo Freitas opted to delay the formation lap for 16 minutes, during which time monsoon-like conditions led to a red-flag after two laps behind the safety car.

The FIA later claimed the initial delay was "done for safety reasons in consideration that there has been no wet running this weekend".

During the deluge, however, a power cut affected race control, leading to a complete reset of the system.

Despite the rain clearing and questions being raised as to why the delay was lengthy, the reset took longer than had originally been anticipated.

Further disbelief followed when a rolling start was implemented and there were two laps behind the safety car before the field was finally released to start racing despite the circuit conditions suggesting differently.

This has been explained that the FIA needed a period of time to checks its systems, including its light panels around the track were in full working order.

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