MICK SCHUMACHER will have to wait for his Formula One debut after the first practice for the Eifel GP was cancelled due to poor weather.
Rain and fog prevented the medical helicopter from flying – due to poor visibility – meaning the session was unable to get the green light.
Schumacher and British racer, Callum Ilott, were both due to get their first taste of F1 – plus crucial licence points – driving the Alfa Romeo and Haas cars respectively.
But FIA Race Director, Michael Masi, said he would not start the session because if there was an accident, then there was no rapid route to a nearby hospital.
He said: “It is pretty challenging with the fog that’s come in, the medical helicopter is not able to take off and fly to the hospital and the distance by road is far too far should something occur.
“With the region we’re in, it’s probably not dissimilar to Austria earlier in the year where we had a similar situation.
“It’s just the nature of the area and the location and the fog’s come and and been going up slightly but coming back down dramatically so obviously we’ll just judge at the time.
“Obviously from an FIA perspective, the safety of all participants, particularly the drivers going out, is paramount and that’s not something that we would compromise.”
Ferrari Driver Academy members Schumacher and Ilott had been due to drive in the morning and no decision has been made yet about rescheduling their runs in F1 practice.
