Bad weather: Formula 1 start in Belgium due to rain

The start of the Formula 1 race in the Belgian Spa-Francorchamps was canceled due to the bad weather. A strong rain shower a good half an hour before the planned start at 3 p.m. ensured that it could not be started normally. A first attempt behind the Safety Car on the wet slopes failed primarily because of the poor view, as the FIA Motorsport Association announced. At first it was not foreseeable when there would be a restart.

Before the first round of the 13th World Cup run of the year was shot, the drivers had to go back to the pit lane due to the interruption and got out of their vehicles again. “This is a bit silly. I mean, you should just drive a few laps, my goodness,” scolded world champion Max Verstappen from Red Bull on the box radio: “They are far too careful, now the heavy rain is coming, and then there will be a three -hour delay.”

Already in 2021 there had been a similar situation on the traditional racing track in the Ardennes. Four years ago, a total of only two rounds were driven behind the Safety Car, at that time Verstappen was seen as the winner with much water on the slopes in even worse conditions.

There was criticism afterwards because despite this farce, fans did not get their money back for the tickets. At that time there were only half of the usual World Cup points for the drivers in the shortest races in Formula 1 history.