Euro GP stopped after rain carnage

(GMM) The 2007 European grand prix was red flagged after just five laps on Sunday following a hellish downpour of rain.

On cue with the start of the 60-lap race at the Nurburgring, the German heavens opened and led to a bizarre sequence of events that left five runners out of the running and – amazingly – Spyker's Markus Winkelhock in the lead.

The German rookie, sensing the onslaught of water, had pitted at the end of the formation lap for wet tires while every other competitor had to scramble in under racing conditions.

Championship Lewis Hamilton was caught in the carnage and farcically spent some time up in the air attached to a crane before rejoining the action a lap down.

Others also found the river to aquaplane in at turn one — Vitantonio Liuzzi's Toro Rosso hit a tractor that had entered the gravel to pull out Nico Rosberg, Scott Speed, Adrian Sutil and Jenson Button.

"The car just lifted on the water and there was no coming back," said Williams' Rosberg.

Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso will follow Winkelhock behind the Safety Car for the rolling restart.

Pole sitter Kimi Raikkonen has dropped to seventh after sliding past the pitlane entrance and needing to do another lap on dry tires.