After a long break from Formula 1 action throughout August, the Belgian Grand Prix was finally upon the fans of the motorsport, but the race was cancelled after just two laps of the iconic Spa Francorchamps circuit.
Despite only lasting two laps, the race was ‘on’ until 18:00, when an official decision was announced that the race was over.
Having crucially completed just two laps of Spa behind a safety car, the drivers had technically driven enough laps to still receive points, providing that they were among the first 10 drivers behind the safety car.
This means that the 2021 Grand Prix winner is Max Verstappen, who took home 12.5 points and cut Lewis Hamilton’s Championship lead three points shorter, and the Dutchman achieved all of this by travelling at a rather rapid 120 km/h.
In second place was George Russell, who stood on the podium for the first time in his F1 career as a result of the weather and a solid qualifying time from the day before.
Hamilton claimed third place and 7.5 points, while Monaco’s own Charles Leclerc started and finished the race in eighth.
The 2020 Belgian GP was a race without an audience, while this year’s GP was an audience without a race, and it was that audience that the drivers praised for their patience and continued support throughout the rainfall.
During the red flag delay, Hamilton wrote on social media that it was “far too dangerous for us (the drivers) to go out” and in a post race interview the defending world champion said that he felt “really disappointed” and that they were “robbed of a race and deserve their money back.”
After the Belgian GP to forget, the Formula 1 circus will head to Holland, to race at the Zandvoort Circuit for the Dutch GP on Sunday, September 5.
Featured image courtesy of @redbullracing on Instagram: fans at the Spa Francorchamps patiently waiting for the race to get underway
