Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix As it happened - Poor weather forces race abandonment at Spa
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ByEurosport
Updated 29/08/2021 at 19:28 GMT
A rain-soaked Belgian Grand Prix at Spa saw racing stopped twice with Max Verstappen recieving half points for a win after the race was abandoned. Lengthy delays allowed for the opportunity for the weather to improve but race officials eventually conceded that no action could take place and the race was called off.
Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen (L) drives behind the safety car during formation laps in rainy weather as the start of the race in postponed before the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Spa on August 29, 2021
Image credit: Getty Images
17:30 - RED FLAG!
Session stopped! For the second time this afternoon, we have a red flag. The conditions are just too treacherous for any more racing to take place.
What they have done here is completed two laps behind the Safety Car to make sure that half points can be awarded and now the drivers will go back to the garage and hope they can find a window to race later. That seems unlikely, though.
17:27 - Two laps complete!
We are now two laps into the race, officially, and this now counts as a race, technically! Interesting - Perez has just been on the Red Bull team radio saying things are getting better in the final sector.
17:25 - Still going
To clarify, half points will be awarded if two laps of the race are completed. However, if we get up to 25% of the race being completed then that rule disappears!
17:20 - Cars are on the track!
Under way! While there are cars on the track, they are behind the Safety Car and so the strategy here is to see if they can start the race after a few laps. However, it seems likely that this will be called off for good. Let's see!
17:10 - RACE TO RESUME
Finally, some news and the race will resume at 18:17 (local time). That's less than 10 minutes away! It's not yet clear what sort of 'race' we're going to get here. Will it be a few laps behind the Safety Car?
16:55 - The wait goes on
You get the idea by now - the FIA just keeps pushing back and back the next weather update. For the sake of this becoming tedious, we'll just update you when there is any news!
16:45 - The update is... there is no update!
We were told to expect a weather update at 17:45 (local time), but the update that has arrived is that the next weather update will be at 17:55 (local time). Great...
16:30 - Potential start time?
There would appear to be a break in the rain at 17:40 (local time) - could that give the FIA an opportunity to get some laps in behind the Safety Car so some half points can be handed out?
16:20 - Update
It now seems likely that this 'race' will only be some laps behind the safety car so some half points can be awarded. The rain is still hammering down at Spa. It doesn't appear the conditions are easing any time soon!
16:10 - The clock has stopped!
The FIA has now stopped the clock with one hour left and that means the event will not finish at 6pm local time. The stewards have that authority and it means they believe they can still get a race in here!
16:00 - One hour to go!
There's just one hour left until time runs out on this Belgian Grand Prix. And then, well, who knows what happens after that!
15:55 - Still no racing...
Here's a potential scenario... if we go out for any further laps behind the Safety Car then the official start of the race will have been observed. Two of those laps will mean half points. That could happen.
15:40 - Perez can race!
The Red Bull engineers have completed their work on Perez's car and IF this race gets under way, he can participate! That is a great job by those in the Red Bull garage.
15:25 - Confusion!
There has been a lot of discussion about whether or not a lap of this race has actually been completed behind the safety car. However, the FIA have confirmed that the three-hour window started at 15:25 (local time).
This means we have until 18:25 (local time) for the race to finish! Hmmmm...
15:15 - Perez back in!
Perez allowed back in! This is an interesting sub-plot - Sergio Perez will now be allowed to race IF Red Bull can get his car patched up by the time of lights out... whenever that is!
15:10 - 'Heavier rain coming'
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff claims there is even heavier rain coming in the next 45 minutes. There is a growing sense that this race won't be happening today.
"It is not going to get better for the next 45 minutes, there's heavier rain coming," he said.
14:55 - Perez's race not over?
This is an interesting one - Red Bull are exploring whether they might be able to work on Perez's car to get him back in the race. Of course, his crash on the way to the grid looked to have ended his day, but the delay has changed the situation!
14:45 - Still raining
This is now a developing story at Spa. There is no new start time for the race as the heavy rain continues to fall. We could be here a while. Discussion has already started towards whether we could be coming back tomorrow.
14:30 - Start procedure SUSPENDED!
"It's undriveable" says Antonio Giovinazzi and that's a sentiment echoed across the drivers. Red flag. The start procedure has been suspended and the drivers are going to be brought back in again.
14:25 - Formation lap
We're under way with the formation lap at Spa and the drivers are taking this very slowly and carefully! Such terrible conditions.
14:15 - Another delay
Confirmation has now come through that this race will now start at 14:25 BST. I wouldn't count on that being the last delay...
14:10 - New race start time!
The race directors have now indicated that lights out will be at 14:20 BST. Terrible, terrible conditions at Spa!
14:00 - START DELAYED
Here we go - the start of this race has been delayed as they wait for a storm to pass through. It has been a miserable weekend weather-wise and that looks to continue for the whole race!
13:55 - Five mins to go!
Not long until lights out at Spa. The drivers are now out on the start line for the Belgian national anthem. Meanwhile, the engineers and team staff are clearing the grid.
13:50 - Title duel
Hamilton starts this race with an eight-point advantage over Verstappen at the top of the drivers’ standings. This has been a dramatic title duel between two drivers who won’t back down!
13:45 - Gorgeous George
While Verstappen is on pole for the start of the race, the big headline ahead of this one concerns George Russell who is sensationally on the front row for Williams after an incredible qualifying display.
13:40 - Perez's race is over!
Perez in the wall! The conditions at Spa are dreadful and Sergio Perez is in the tyre wall! That's his race over before it has even begun! The Red Bull message on the team radio is for Perez to kill the engine.
13:35 - How they'll start!
Full grid - 1) Verstappen 2) Russell 3) Hamilton 4) Ricciardo 5) Vettel 6) Gasly 7) Perez 8) Ocon 9) Norris 10) Leclerc 11) Latifi 12) Sainz 13) Bottas 14) Alonso 15) Giovinazzi 16) Tsunoda 17) Schumacher 18) Raikkonen 19) Mazepin 20) Stroll
13:30 - Welcome to the Belgian Grand Prix!
Good afternoon and welcome to Eurosport’s LIVE coverage of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa! Max Verstappen is on pole as the most fascinating title duel in years resumes this weekend after the summer break!
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