Drivers mixed on Spa start delay

Fans were rewarded for patience as the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix was delayed due to weather, with some fearing for the future of wet races and others understanding the process.

After a sudden shower before the start of the race, the lights went out around 90 minutes later than scheduled, as the race was delayed after the formation lap due to visibility concerns.

Once cars finally hit the track, another four laps took place behind the Safety Car before a rolling start took place in intermediate positions and it did not take long for slicks to be required.

One driver that was especially unimpressed was Max Verstappen, with Red Bull electing for a wet-focused set-up.

But more widely, Verstappen fears for the future of wet races with full wets not being touched in Spa and a Safety Car being introduced despite no drivers having any difficulty in wet conditions at Silverstone. But on the contrary, Isack Hadjar hit Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the spray at Copse.

“We made a choice with the set-up and they only allowed us to drive in almost slick conditions, so it was a bit disappointing,” he said.

“Of course, we spoke after Silverstone to be a little bit more cautious with the decisions, but this was at the other extreme for me.

“It was a choice that we made with the set-up of the car, which was then the wrong one of course, because they didn’t allow us to race in the wet.

“Between Turn 1 and 5 there was quite a bit of water, 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…

“Then it’s better to say: ‘You know what, let’s wait until it’s completely dry and then we just start on slicks.’ 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.”

However, winner Oscar Piastri and third-place finisher Charles Leclerc believed that, due to the style of Spa and recent history, such as the tragic Anthoine Hubert accident in 2019, the officials handled the situation well.

“I think it’s always fine-tuning,” Leclerc said. 

“On a track like this with what happened historically, I think you cannot forget about it. For that reason, I’d rather be safe than too early. 

“It’s a constant discussion, and we’ll probably feed the people that made this decision back that maybe it was a little bit on the late side, but I wouldn’t have changed anything.”

“I think the past few years, particularly here, we’ve given the FIA feedback that we would much rather be on the safe side than risk anything,” Piastri said. 

“I think that’s what we did today. If you were to be picky, maybe we could have done one less formation lap. 

“But in the grand scheme of things, if that’s one lap too early, is it worth it? No. 

“Also, us three are the worst people to ask because we have the least amount of cars in front of us. 

“For someone at the back, the first time we tried to start the race, even for myself with just Lando ahead, I couldn’t see a thing. 

“You can only imagine what it’s like for the guys at the back. That’s always a tough thing to balance because the guys at the front have an easier time than the guys at the back.”

Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

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