Reputable F1 drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, slam the FIA following the delay to the start of the 2025 Belgian GP due to rain, insisting the sport’s governing body was far too cautious at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Heavy rain was common throughout Sunday morning in the Ardennes Forest and a downpour was present all the way up until the lights were due to go out on July 27, ultimately requiring the safety car to lead the formation lap.
However, the FIA then opted to red flag the session by deeming conditions too dangerous due to visibility issues – something that irked Red Bull’s Verstappen in particular for a couple of reasons.
Known for his hard-racing approach to the sport and his supreme confidence, the defending world champion was keen to get the action running and suggested those unsure of their own abilities could always just drive more cautiously.
“Between Turn 1 and 5 there was quite a bit of water,” Verstappen said to media. “But if you do two laps behind the safety car it would have been a lot more clear.
‘And the rest of the track was ready to go. The more you run, it will be much better. And if you can’t see, you can always lift. At one point you will see…”
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
The FIA’s decision to have the cars stop in the pit-lane also proved controversial to the Dutchman as he pondered over the radio why the drivers couldn’t keep running behind the safety car in a bid to clear the standing water.
Each intermediate tyre can displace 35 litres of water-per-second at top speed, so it’s a fair question. The wet tyres displace even more water-per-second, although they are seldom used due to increased visibility issues from that displacement.
Whilst it’s understandable that Rui Marques put absolutely safety above everything else considering the history of serious incidents at this track, such as Anthoine Hubert’s death in 2019, Red Bull’s man remained harsh in his critique of the FIA.
“Then it’s better to say: ‘You know what, let’s wait until it’s completely dry and then we just start on slicks,’” Verstappen added. “Because this is not really wet weather racing for me.
“At the end of the day, they do what they want, right? But I just find it a bit of a shame for everyone. You will never see these classic wet races anymore.”
Hamilton: “I keep shouting, ‘It’s ready to go!’”
It’s interesting that both Hamilton and Verstappen, known for their supreme abilities in torrential conditions, have both hit out at the FIA for the delayed start to Sunday’s race in Europe.
Like his famous rival in 2021, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion also felt that the track was suitable enough for not only racing action, but a standing start instead of the more cautionary rolling start that was opted for.
“I had a lot of fun trying to make my way through,” Hamilton added. “And we obviously started the race a little bit too late, I would say. I kept shouting, ‘It’s ready to go, it’s ready to go.’
“And they kept going round and round and round. So, I think they were probably overreacting from the last race where we asked them not to restart the race too early because visibility was bad.
“And I think this weekend they just went a bit too much the other way, because we didn’t need a rolling start.
“I definitely could have done a standing start. Especially at the end there, because it was almost a dry line. It was hardly any spray.
“So, I definitely could have done it.”
There’s reason to believe those comments too after the 40-year-old gained 11 positions from a pit-lane start within 20 laps, before going on to finish seventh. He showed exceptional pace and feel for the conditions and demonstrated why he’s held in such high regard.
Standing starts following a safety car-led formation lap are barely seen in modern F1. The last time it was opted for was all the way back in 2022 at the Japanese GP, following hours of a delay.
Carlos Sainz backs FIA decision for delayed start in Spa
Although Verstappen and Hamilton slam the FIA for the delay to the start of the 2025 Belgian GP, Sainz contrasted the two men with 11 world titles between them as the Williams driver praised Marques for ensuring the health of the drivers was prioritised above all.
Pointing to Spa’s dangerous reputation, he reminded critics that the circuit is unique in the risks it poses by hinting at wet-weather incidents that cost Hubert and Dilano van ‘t Hoff to both lose their lives in 2019 and 2023 respectively.
This is not something he wanted to see repeated on July 27 and points out that all of the laps were completed anyway, so the FIA made the right call to back life over spectacle.
“In a normal track, yes, I think we could have started maybe 5-10 minutes earlier,” Sainz told the press. “In Spa-Francorchamps and the history of this track, it’s better safe than [sorry].
“You guys got the whole race, you got to watch the full race, so I don’t think it was a bad call, a safe call.
“But my respect to the race director because he told us after Silverstone and the accidents in Silverstone that he would play it safer here and that’s what he did.”
Sainz added: “That’s why better safe than have an accident and be regretful.”
