Max Verstappen awarded victory at "horrible" Spa after shortest race in Formula 1 history
Max Verstappen has been awarded victory in the Belgian Grand Prix, with the race declared after long delays and less than three laps behind the safety car.
Less than laps were run behind the safety car before the race was finally red-flagged. (Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool)
Conditions at Spa were incredibly difficult, with heavy rain falling throughout the planned race window, and Red Bull driver Sergio Perez crashing on the way to the grid.
With an extended delay, the event was eventually cancelled, and half-points awarded to the field, led by the podium of Verstappen, George Russell, and Lewis Hamilton.
The cancellation came with the unwanted title of shortest race in F1 history.
"It is always good to win and the points are important but today is not how anyone wants to do it, especially on our 50th start with Honda," said the Dutch driver.
"In hindsight it was very important to get pole yesterday and although it’s a big shame not to do some proper racing laps, as I really love coming to this track, it was just impossible in these conditions."
"I thought maybe at 15:30 the conditions were a bit better than just now when we tried to re-start but the visibility was still very low and I understand why we couldn’t race today."
A trophy and half-points for Max Verstappen at the Belgian Grand Prix. (Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool)
Verstappen referenced previous accidents at the track, such as the shocking death of Anthoine Hubert, as a key factor in the decision that the race would not take place.
"For me in the lead the visibility was a lot better, even with the Safety Car ahead, but the guys behind me couldn’t see a single thing and if someone went off at Eau Rouge and bounced back onto the track they could have been T-boned at high speed which we do not want."
"It was also extremely low grip and because it kept raining all afternoon it just didn’t improve."
"I think today the big credit goes to the fans around the track who stayed here the whole day in the rain, wind and cold."
"It must have been horrible to sit in those conditions so a big thanks goes to them and they should be the real winners from today."
"Now we have to keep on pushing and trying to regain the championship lead."
"I’m confident we have a good car and there is a long way to go so we just need to make sure we get the best performance out of it for the rest of the season."
Max Verstappen, George Russell, and Lewis Hamilton on the podium. (Steve Etherington)
Russell's incredible effort in qualifying on Saturday saw him take the well-deserved podium, without a single lap run in anger.
"The conditions were incredibly difficult out there and even in second with only one car in front, sometimes I couldn’t even see Max ahead," said the Williams driver.
"I’m really sorry for everyone at the track and those watching around the world that we couldn’t race but safety has to come first."
"It’s a strange feeling as I’ve never had a race finish like this in my career, but a podium is a podium and we will take it no matter what."
"We were rewarded for the amazing job we did as a team yesterday."
"Obviously if the race had gone ahead today it would have been incredibly difficult for us to hold our position, but you’ve got to take it as it comes."
"It was only last race in Hungary that I scored my first points for Williams and here we are standing on the podium at the Belgian Grand Prix!"
"It is a reward for all of the hard work everyone in the team has put in over these past three years."
Lewis Hamilton’s helmet before the Belgian Grand Prix. (Steve Etherington)
Lewis Hamilton was third - holding the championship lead but losing valuable points to Verstappen.
"Firstly, I'm really disappointed for the fans," he said.
"It's no one's fault, you can't control the weather, but the fans have been incredible today, sticking with us the whole time, holding out for a potential race, keeping their energy up and creating the atmosphere."
"They were robbed of a race today, unfortunately."
"I love racing in the rain, but today was something else."
"You couldn't see the car ahead, there was aquaplaning, it was so, so tricky out there."
"It's a shame because of course I wanted to race and I love this track as well."
"I think it would have been a great race if it hadn't rained so hard, but unfortunately it just didn't stop."
