Belgium Grand Prix: Formula 1, FIA and teams to discuss post-race rule changes without racing in a rain-soaked spa

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Review of potential organizational changes to be discussed among sport stakeholders, with the understanding that there is a desire to know what can be changed to avoid a similar scenario in the future By James Galloway

Last update: 08/30/21 2:51 PM

Watch how the Belgian Grand Prix finally ended after the cars returned to the track behind the safety car

Watch how the Belgian Grand Prix finally ended after the cars returned to the track behind the safety car

F1 stakeholders are set to review the Belgian GP events and address what could be changed by the rules in the future.

Sunday’s event at Spa-Francorchamps was effectively eliminated and there were no competitive racing laps, but the result could still be called up and half the points were awarded after completing two full laps behind the safety car after a long delay in the rain.

This means that the final qualifying standings decided the outcome of the race, with first-place player Max Verstappen, second-placed George Russell Williams, and third-place Lewis Hamilton winning.

Despite the dire conditions in Belgium, Formula 1 racing director Michael Massey claims they have tried everything they can to avoid a meltdown.

Despite the dire conditions in Belgium, Formula 1 racing director Michael Massey claims they have tried everything they can to avoid a meltdown.

F1’s regulations allow for such a scenario but it is understood that the sport and teams will speak with the FIA, the governing body, to see what can be changed to avoid the same situation arising again.

Drivers and team bosses supported the decision not to start the race due to the treacherous state of conditions, but there was criticism and unease about the fact that the rating could still be issued without any racing happening.

McLaren team principal Zak Brown, whose driver Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth after qualifying in the position, said the sport collectively needed to look at what had happened and make changes.

“I think the FIA ​​did everything they did to get ahead in the race, and they obviously can’t control the weather,” said Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing. “They need to prioritize the safety of the drivers, the conditions weren’t sweaty.

“The regulations say that after performing a few laps, it can be called a race. I think that needs to be revised.

“That’s what the rules say, but this needs to be reviewed by all of us to learn from today and realize that if we’re given that kind of situation differently to make sure the outcome is everybody gets to race, whether it’s the next day, whether we come back” .

Meanwhile, the Alfa Romeo team released a statement on Monday saying they hope to “lear the lessons”.

“The decision not to race in these conditions was the right decision, in order to protect the safety of the drivers, guards and spectators themselves,” the team said.

“However, the situation could have been handled much more adequately by not having at all the ‘race’ that we witnessed yesterday: this result hurts us all, but especially it hurts the sports fans, who did not take part in the show who came to see.

“We hope that the lessons we learned yesterday, lessons that will improve the way we operate in the future and that will put the fans of our sport in the position they deserve,” he added.

Championship captain Lewis Hamilton believes fans are worth their money after witnessing only two laps behind the safety car at Spa in Belgium.

Championship captain Lewis Hamilton believes fans are worth their money after witnessing only two laps behind the safety car at Spa in Belgium.

Lewis Hamilton suggested financial considerations underlie the decision to complete the minimum two laps to announce a result, but F1 chief Stefano Domenicali insisted that was not the case. The world champion also described Sunday’s events as a “farce”.

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