SHANGHAI, China -- The second practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix was abandoned after poor weather conditions in Shanghai prevented the medical helicopter from being able to land at its designated hospital.
Although conditions at the circuit were fine for the session to take place on track, smog and low cloud at the hospital in the city meant the medical helicopter would not have been able to land if it been called into action. Under the FIA's sporting code a driver evacuation from the track "must not, in normal conditions, exceed approximately 20 minutes", meaning the session could not take place on safety grounds.
It followed a morning session that was significantly curtailed for the same reason, resulting in the teams performing next to no useful running ahead of qualifying day on Saturday.
"At the moment it [the medical helicopter] can't land at the hospital which is about 38 km away unfortunately," the FIA's race director Charlie Whiting explained during the session. "It looks reasonable here [at the circuit], I know, and there are [TV] helicopters flying here, but they can't actually land at the airport which is downtown Shanghai.
"We're getting news from the airport which is also affected by the low cloud, we're getting news every 10 minutes. We're just keeping up with that."
In an unusual reversal of roles, the entertainment was provided for the drivers by the fans as banners were unfurled over the railings of the grandstands and the TV cameras picked up on a series of impressive fancy dress costumes. Highlights included a Red Bull fan in a Darth Vader helmet -- with an FOM graphic saying 'Darth Vader - Sith Lord' -- and a series of German flag banners that were designed to spell V-E-T-T-E-L, but instead read V-E-T-T-E-E before the misplaced 'L' was found.
Lewis Hamilton emerged from the Mercedes garage in the final half hour of the session to sign caps for fans and throw them into the grandstand -- all of which was documented on his social media channels.