Published April 6, 2009

F1 drivers back decision to halt race

M'sia Grand Prix called off after 32 laps due to heavy rain, poor visibility

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(SEPANG, Malaysia) Formula One's top drivers threw their support behind the decision to abandon the Malaysian Grand Prix yesterday, saying that it was the right thing to do.

Wet blanket: Williams driver Nico Rosberg leaving the track as a ferocious storm lashed Sepang circuit and lowered visibility; this is the fifth time ever that a Grand Prix has been called off due to weather

The 56-lap race was suspended after 32 laps as a ferocious storm lashed the Sepang circuit, with rivers of water on the track and visibility poor - only the fifth time ever that a Grand Prix has been called off due to weather.

It was eventually abandoned 50 minutes later as the light faded after the race began at 5pm instead of its usual 3pm time slot to better suit European television audiences.

Winner Jenson Button said that there was no way the race could have continued. 'It was tough keeping on the circuit. It wasn't like a river out there, it was more like a lake,' said the Briton. 'It was way too wet and the decision (to call it off) was correct.'

His veteran teammate Rubens Barrichello also said that it was the right thing to do.

'That's the unfortunate thing of starting the race at five o'clock, basically,' Barrichello told reporters. 'But it was definitely the right thing (to stop the race) because visibility now, not from the rain but from the sky, wasn't going to be easy.'

Red Bull's Mark Webber, who came sixth, said that it was just a typical day in Malaysia. 'The guys made the right call to stop the race when they did,' said the Australian.

'It would have been nice to have some more laps to give us a crack at the podium, but that's how it is, so I've got mixed emotions. It's dark now (7pm) so it was the right call not to make the restart. I'm not sure you can blame the time of day for today's conditions as the weather was bad at 3pm as well. It seems it was just one of those days.'

Germany's Nick Heidfeld, who made the right tyre choices in his BMW Sauber to finish second behind Button, said that there was no other call that could have been made. -- AFP