Yesterday’s prediction of rain at the 2013 Formula One Australian Grand Prix has proven accurate, with heavy downpours arriving by the third and final free practice session.

The rain continued through the first session of qualifying, which took place on wet tires, but with no letup in sight, qualifying was delayed until Sunday, just a few hours before the start of racing.

In that initial session, Lotus’ Romain Grosjean was quickest, followed by the two Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, respectively. Lotus’ other driver, Kimi Räikkönen, was also quick, as was Mercedes AMG’s Nico Rosberg.

Qualifying hasn’t been delayed since the 2010 Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. Despite the need for qualifying tomorrow, the race will still commence as planned at 5pm local time--weather permitting.