• Direct This is how we live the drama in Spa

Under heavy rain, also known as a typical Belgian summer, the

Spa-Francorchamps

Formula 1 Grand Prix

was reduced to more than three hours of waiting and two laps of training behind the

safety car

.

The minimum by regulation to distribute half of the points, not to leave a hole in the calendar and not be obliged to return the money for the tickets.

Reliable triumph for

Max Verstappen

, who cuts differences with

Lewis Hamilton

.



What could be more Belgian than watching it rain for almost four hours? Raining without end and waiting without sense, because the radars were already warning that the conditions would not improve all afternoon. Everyone seemed to have it clear except the direction of the race, which by kicking forward every five minutes turned the misfortune into a farce.



The sentence had been written within half an hour, when the management had to abort the start due to lack of visibility. By radio,

George Russell

warned his team that at turn five, the amount of water that was rising did not even allow him to see the red lights of Verstappen, the car in front. If it wasn't safe for the pilots then, it wouldn't be for the rest of the afternoon. However, the decision was postponed for three hours.



As time passed and it became clear that it was not going to be possible, the reactions of each one revealed the consequences.

Russell, who otherwise would have had a very difficult time keeping second place against Hamilton, was smiling;

Sainz, who needed only to advance one position to get into the points, was desperate;

and

Lando Norris

, who had no choice at all, was napping.



Meanwhile,

'Checo' Pérez

fixed his car, because hope is never lost.

The Mexican started seventh and crashed at Les Combes during that single lap.

In four hours he went from being out of the race to repairing the car and starting in last position, but with no margin to move up.

Recess time for the teams

The

Haas

and

Aston Martin

teams

played soccer; Macarena was danced in the Alpine box; and from the direction it was decided to stop the race clock. When it was clear to them that they could not fight the rain, they tried to challenge the sun: to give themselves away until the light lasted to see if conditions would improve before nightfall.



The conclusion was clear, but the farce had to be completed. At 18:07 it was announced that the start would take place in 10 minutes. At 18:17 the cars started behind the safety car and on the third lap, the minimum required to qualify, the red flag was raised. At 18:44 they announced that it would not be resumed.



The regulation establishes that, whenever more than two laps are contested, but less than 75% of the race, only half of the points are distributed.

It is the first time that the cast has been left in the middle since the 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix, although 31 of the 56 scheduled laps were played at the time.

Nothing like this had ever happened.



Verstappen

, who started from pole, took the win, although the cut in points prevents him from regaining the lead from Hamilton, who finished third.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • sports

  • Formula 1

  • Max verstappen

  • Lewis hamilton

Formula 1Verstappen sails in the deluge of Spa and gets the 'pole'

Formula 1 Fernando Alonso turns 40: Intelligence and instinct to beat age

Formula 1 Fernando Alonso unhinges Lewis Hamilton to the delirium of Esteban Ocon and Alpine

See links of interest

  • Last News

  • Translator

  • Tokyo results

  • 2021 business calendar

  • Home THE WORLD TODAY

  • Master investigative journalism

  • Fiorentina - Torino

  • Juventus - Empoli

  • Real Betis - Real Madrid, live

  • Barcelona - Getafe, live

  • Atlético de Madrid - Villarreal, live