Formula 1 Belgian GP
Verstappen: F1 should start races earlier after long wait at Spa
Max Verstappen believes Formula 1 should start races earlier to reduce the risk of rain shortening the grand prix after Sunday’s two-lap Belgian Grand Prix.
Luke Smith
Edited: Sep 1, 2021, 1:39 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Verstappen was declared the winner of the race at Spa following almost three hours of delays because of heavy rain, limiting the field to completing just two full laps behind the safety car that counted towards the race.
By meeting the minimum two-lap distance requirement for a grand prix, half points could be awarded, with Verstappen scoring 12.5 points for victory.
The result meant he cut Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton’s lead at the top of the drivers’ standings down to three points ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend.
Verstappen said after the race that it was “not how you want to win” amid criticism against officials for only meeting the minimum distance for it to count as a race.
Bosses from the FIA and F1 are set to review Sunday’s events in the coming weeks, with one question being whether the race could have been started had it been brought forward from its 3pm slot at Spa.
It was something Verstappen questioned in the aftermath of his victory, pondering if an earlier start time would have given more of a window in which to get a race completed.
“When you start at 3 o’clock, and you have days like this, maybe it’s better to start a bit earlier, at 12 or 1 o’clock,” Verstappen said. “I think that’s a better time anyway to start, for me. Now it’s just dragging on and on and the weather just gets worse and worse. It gets dark.”
Read Also:
- Domenicali: F1 radar did not provide warning about washout
- Fernando Alonso: Decision to award F1 points for Belgian GP "shocking"
- Seidl: Only racing indoors could prevent F1 rain washouts
Races in mainland Europe traditionally start at 3pm local time on Sundays, having been pushed back by an hour a couple of years ago.
While any start time would still be subject to F1’s three-hour event length rule, it is possible for the stewards to freeze the clock under force majeure, as seen on Sunday when it was stopped with 60 minutes remaining.
Fans were left disappointed by the lack of a race on Sunday after braving the wet weather and cold conditions for a number of hours, with Hamilton calling for them to have their tickets refunded.
Verstappen was sceptical that it would have been possible to rearrange the Spa race for another time this year to give the fans a race.
“We already do too many races, so we should pick the proper tracks, of course, first of all, the good ones,” Verstappen said. “To come back again here [this year], I don’t see that happening, especially when you already have 22 races.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article When Formula 1 last aborted a race at Spa
Next article F1 to discuss rule changes over Belgian GP "farce" in October
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Luke Smith
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
Formula 1
Formula 1
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Formula 1
Formula 1
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
More from
Lewis Hamilton
Oscar Piastri on his Singapore puncture: “Ironically, it probably helped”
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
22 h
Oscar Piastri on his Singapore puncture: “Ironically, it probably helped”
Why Ferrari caved in to Lewis Hamilton’s failed Singapore F1 gamble
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Why Ferrari caved in to Lewis Hamilton’s failed Singapore F1 gamble
More from
Mercedes
‘I’ll put a pillow under his butt’ – How Toto Wolff wants to solve Kimi Antonelli’s track limits problem
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
‘I’ll put a pillow under his butt’ – How Toto Wolff wants to solve Kimi Antonelli’s track limits problem
George Russell calls Red Bull "the team to beat" in F1, but Kimi Antonelli adds a key caveat
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
George Russell calls Red Bull "the team to beat" in F1, but Kimi Antonelli adds a key caveat
Latest news
Niels Koolen makes switch to Abel Motorsports ahead of 2027 Indy NXT campaign
Indy NXT
IndL Indy NXT 57 min
Niels Koolen makes switch to Abel Motorsports ahead of 2027 Indy NXT campaign
GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 1 h
GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen
13 Autosport retains unchanged lineup for 2027 IMSA campaign, eyes global expansion
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 1 h
13 Autosport retains unchanged lineup for 2027 IMSA campaign, eyes global expansion
Bourdais, Moss headline second batch of Sebring's 75 all-time greatest drivers
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 2 h
Bourdais, Moss headline second batch of Sebring's 75 all-time greatest drivers
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe