George Russell vs Max Verstappen again: Rivals express contrasting opinions on Belgian Grand Prix debacle
Acting on par with its reputation, the Belgian Grand Prix staged another controversial edition in the ongoing F1 season. Spa was hit by a downpour right on schedule for the race's start. Meanwhile, the FIA deemed it wiser to delay the race, as the association termed the bad weather a threat to the safety of the drivers. The formation lap at the Belgian GP was suspended as the race started with a delay that extended up to 90 minutes. Aware of the weather conditions ahead of the race, the four-time champion Max Verstappen had prepared accordingly. What the Red Bull driver had not prepared for was the delay imposed by the FIA.
Max Verstappen lashes out against the delay at Belgian Grand Prix, George Russell backs the FIA's decision
Max Verstappen finished fourth, behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Immediately after the race's completion at the Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen, never the one to hold back in expressing his frustration, lashed out at the decision to delay the race. The Dutchman argued that it was not even raining and that most of the track was already fit for racing despite the wet conditions in some parts. Moreover, the World Champion downplayed the threat that low visibility caused by the spray posed, deeming it a problem that the drivers were equipped to cope with.
“It was not even raining. This didn’t make sense. 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," Verstappen expressed. "It would only be for a few laps, and the more you run, it will be much better. And if you can’t see, you can always lift," the Red Bull cog argued against the low visibility threat.
Lewis Hamilton also shared similar views as Verstappen, reflecting on the delay at the Belgian Grand Prix. The lack of wet conditions at Spa directly hampered the preparations of the likes of Verstappen and Hamilton. However, McLaren and Ferrari backed FIA's decision to hold the formation lap, advocating for the drivers' safety to be the top priority. Now, George Russell has also spoken in favor of the association’s decision in Belgium.
Russell explained that it would have been nothing but 'stupidity' to ignore the threats at the track and kick off the race as per the original schedule. As a driver, Russell understands the thrill of racing in wet conditions. However, the Mercedes cog explained that the low visibility caused by the spray could very well have proven to be a blindfold for the drivers.
"As a racer, you always want to get going. You love driving in the rain. But the fact is, when you’re doing over 200 miles an hour out of Eau Rouge, you literally cannot see anything; you may as well have a blindfold on. It isn’t racing, it’s just stupidity," Russell explained.
