Heavy rain cancels first practice at FE opener

FE's 2018/19 season-opening 45-minute session had been due to start at 7am local time, but after overnight rain hit the Riyadh area, the wet weather returned just before the action was about to get under way.

The FIA announced that the session start would be delayed, but as conditions did not improve, FP1 was cancelled 20 minutes after it should have started.

Track workers had attempted to sweep and pump the water away, but there was too much standing water around the 1.5-mile track for any running to take place.

An extended practice session has been rescheduled for 8.35am local time and is set to last one hour.

FP2 had been due to take place at 9.05am and was supposed to last 30 minutes.

It is not yet known if the qualifying session for the Jaguar I-PACE eTrophy qualifying session will take place as scheduled at 7.55am.