The F1 rule that triggered Japanese GP chequered flag confusion

With the Suzuka race having been red flagged early on due to deteriorating conditions, and the event not resuming until there was just under 40 minutes of the three-hour maximum time limit remaining, it was never going to run to full distance.

But while teams had a rough idea of how long it would play out for, they were caught on the hop about the exact lap it would finish on.

Under F1’s two-hour time limit for a race’s duration, the rules are clear that once…