OCTOBER 8, 2019

FIA monitoring typhoon days before Japan GP

F1's governing body is monitoring severe weather reports in the days before the Japanese grand prix.

F1's governing body is monitoring severe weather reports in the days before the Japanese grand prix.

Alarming forecasts by the Japanese meteorological agency (JMA) are predicting that Typhoon Hagibis will be categorised 'violent' when it hits landfall - the highest possible descriptor.

"It could be the strongest to hit Japan this year," JMA said.

The forecasts also say winds could reach a staggering 240kph, bringing torrential rain.

On Twitter, former F1 meteorologist Steffen Dietz published an alarming weather map that depicted Suzuka right at the centre of the typhoon.

"Picture shows the worst case, currently predicted by one model," he said.

Not long after Anthoine Hubert's death, the FIA is likely to react to the situation with caution, also given that Jules Bianchi crashed at Suzuka in 2014 and later died just days after a similar typhoon.

(GMM)