F1: Verstappen wins Belgian Grand Prix reduced to two laps – South West

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) was named winner of the Belgian Grand Prix after only two laps behind the safety car and more than three hours behind due to the incessant rain at Spa-Francorchamps.

Scheduled for 3:00 p.m., the start was given at 6:17 p.m., for only two laps, the minimum stipulated by the regulations for points to be awarded. Only half of the points are awarded in this case. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 3rd, remains the leader of the championship ahead of Verstappen after this 12th round.

On the starting grid at 3:00 p.m., the drivers were informed of a first decision to postpone the Grand Prix. At 3:25 p.m. they then set off for two training laps. But the conditions were still too rainy to be able to give the real start. All the drivers entered the pit lane and got out of their cars to wait in the warmth. They finally left at 6:17 pm… For four short laps before the red flag.

As a result, the television images showed what they could: the thousands of brave spectators present in the stands, under the curtain of rain that has fallen on the Belgian Ardennes since the start of the day and more generally since the start of the weekend. end.

French fries and pétanque

The fans, comforting each other with hot dogs and Belgian fries, and the pilots, trying to stay focused with various exercises, were somehow patient. Like some stewards, who took the opportunity to play pétanque on the gravel around the track. If a start were to be given, the cars would start off, behind the safety car, rather than stopped as usual.

“Pretty horrible”

On their training lap, the pilots all seemed to agree that the visibility was extremely poor. “It’s quite horrible, I hardly manage to see the car in front of me and there is aquaplaning”, for example explained Lando Norris (McLaren).

Only the Dutchman Max Verstappen, in pole position, was in favor of riding. The Red Bull driver is eight points behind Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) before this 12th race out of 22 this season. He qualified ahead of Britons George Russell (Williams) and Hamilton.

“It’s not that bad on the road, but in the peloton you wouldn’t be able to see anything,” confirmed Alan van der Merwe, driver of the medical car, the last to have driven on the track around 5 pm.

Rainy weather already caused Norris to crash on Saturday during qualifying. On Sunday, Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) went off the track as he completed the lap to position himself on the starting grid. He should have given up, but the delay allowed his team to repair the damage to his car. If the start is given, the Mexican should be there.