F1 is in works to review its rules after Belgian Grand Prix declared Max Verstappen as the winner only after 2 laps behind the safety car in heavy rain on Sunday
Rain had soaked the Spa-Francorchamps circuit when F1 put the final race of the Belgian Grand Prix on hold for three hours after its scheduled time. Even when the cars emerged from the pit lane, the race restarted under a safety car. Its duration was reduced down to an hour with only half points set to be awarded to the winner, who had to complete just 2 laps.
Max Verstappen won the race, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing second and third, respectively. However, many people have attacked this decision since Sunday with a demand for F1 to review its rules and regulations.
Why Are The F1 Rules For Belgian Grand Prix Receiving Criticism?
One of the most outspoken people about the controversial results of the Belgian GP is McLaren Chief Executive, Zak Brown. According to him, the F1 needs to review the rule which defines a race after only a few laps, to prevent such a situation in the future. He says that no one would argue that the weather was safe for a race on Sunday. But in such cases we need better solutions as a sport.
FIA race director Michael Masi, on the other hand, stated that the governing body had followed the safety regulations. The purpose of the safety car laps was to check out what the conditions were like, hoping there would be a window in the weather. However, he concluded that the FIA and the teams will definitely meet up to address alternative options in future.
Lewis Hamilton’s Allegations On The Belgian GP Final Race
Lewis Hamilton offered a different angle on the Belgian GP race and labeled it a farce. He said that it was driven by financial considerations and demanded that fans be refunded.
But F1 chief executive, Stefano Domenicali meanwhile rejected his allegation. He responded that despite the completion of a race requires those minimum laps, they did the needful to meet the obligations of the sponsors, broadcasters, and ticket holders who would otherwise have been entitled to financial recompense.
Though what happened was obviously unprecedented, F1 authorities have entered onto discussions regarding how to potentially recompense the fans.