Belgian Grand Prix LIVE result: Max Verstappen wins two-lap race after heavy rain causes major delays

Follow fallout after the weather drastically affected the race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

(Getty Images)

Max Verstappen was proclaimed the winner of a farcical Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday after only two laps were completed behind a safety car.

The 12th round of the Formula One campaign at a rain-soaked Spa-Francorchamps circuit finished three hours and 44 minutes after it was due to begin when the clock finally stopped on an embarrassing afternoon for the sport.

George Russell took second, with Lewis Hamilton third and half-points awarded.

Hamilton’s championship advantage over Verstappen has been reduced to three points.

Seventy-five thousand fans stood in the persistent drizzle for a race due to start at 3pm, pushed back to 3.10pm, 3.15pm and 3.25pm. The safety car took the field away on a formation lap but after eight minutes the race was stopped.

Following two hours and 47 minutes without any action, the FIA’s race director Michael Masi then gave the green light for the race to resume.

The sodden spectators, those who remained in the hope of a race, pumped their fists in delight, with Verstappen’s fans lighting orange flares on the Kemmel Straight.

But after just two laps completed of the rain-drenched 4.35-mile circuit, the race was red-flagged. The sport’s bosses were facing accusations of a cynical manoeuvre with two laps ensuring a classification could be granted.

Belgian Grand Prix

• Race delayed amid heavy rain
• Only two laps completed
• Verstappen, Russell and Hamilton in 1st, 2nd and 3rd with half points

[29 August 2021 16:49 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

A weather update is now expected at 4:55pm (BST).

The race director will be hoping that the one hour of racing can begin before the light begins to disappear at Spa-Francorchamps.

[29 August 2021 16:31 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

A weather update is expected from the FIA at 4:45pm (BST).

[29 August 2021 16:08 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

To add to the confusion, the three hour race time limit has now been overruled by the stewards and the race clock has been stopped. It seems we are no longer confined to finish racing by 5:00pm(BST), but if racing does start there will be just one hour of action. This situation is unprecedented.

[29 August 2021 15:57 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

Race director, Michael Masi, has now confirmed that for drivers to get half points, they would need to do two laps – behind the safety car or otherwise – before the race time runs out at 5:00pm(BST).

[29 August 2021 15:48 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

There is some confusion amongst the teams right now as to whether the race has technically started or not.

Some are saying that the delays to the start mean that it has not, and therefore the race time window of three hours did not begin, and so half points should not be awarded if we complete no further laps before 5:00pm.

There is also confusion about the number of laps remaining. The number of laps to complete should decrease for every lap completed under the safety car, which in this case is one lap on top of the formation lap. Therefore we should have 43 laps remaining. Others are saying there are in fact 39 laps remaining due to the delayed starts.

Once clarity has been achieved we will update you here.

There are still no updates on a possible start time and the rain is falling just as hard as it has been all day.

[29 August 2021 15:26 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

With the race time window closing at 5:00pm(BST) it will mean that even if racing gets going again, we will not complete all remaining 43 laps at Spa-Francorchamps. In this scenario, even if racing get’s going, the end will be marked at 5:00pm regardless of the number of laps completed.

If we do not reach half way through the laps, half points would be awarded to the drivers.

[29 August 2021 15:21 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

Race director, Michael Masi, has now confirmed that the race clock did in fact start at 2:00pm(BST). Therefore we are technically 1 hour and 20 minutes through the race. There is a three-hour race time window which will finish at 5:00pm(BST).

[29 August 2021 14:58 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

A race must be finished within two hours of starting. However, this race still hasn’t technically begun. The only issue as we move further into the day is visibility and light. Will there be enough time in the day to get the race finished if we have to start much later? The answer is that we’d need to begin the race by about 5pm (BST) to be able to complete it within the two hour window before the light disappears over Spa-Francorchamps.

Red Bull boss, Christian Horner, says that this level of rain is expected for another hour.

[29 August 2021 14:48 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

There have been no updates on when the race may start. The conditions are still torrential and all of the drivers are out of the cars, while the cars themselves are lined up in the pit lane and covered by gazebos.

[29 August 2021 14:35 · Sean Russell]

Belgian Grand Prix

RED FLAG – The start procedure has been suspended and the drivers are brought into the pit lane behind the safety car.

After just two formation laps behind the safety car, the conditions have been deemed too dangerous to begin. Multiple drivers including George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have complained of a lack of vision. The water spray coming off the cars in front is making it near impossible for the drivers to see.

Pole sitter, Max Verstappen, has been on the radio saying the conditions aren’t that bad, he wants to go racing. Fourth-place man, Daniel Ricciardo, believes the red flag is the right call.