| Position | No. | Driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda |
| 2 | 63 | George Russell | Williams-Mercedes |
| 3 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes |
| 4 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 5 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin-Mercedes |
| 6 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri-Honda |
| 7 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault |
| 8 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 9 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams-Mercedes |
| 10 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari |
| 11 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine-Renault |
| 12 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes |
| 13 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari |
| 14 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 15 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Honda |
| 16 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas-Ferrari |
| 17 | 9 | Nikita Mazepin | Haas-Ferrari |
| 18 | 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari |
| 19 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda |
| 20 | 18 | Lance Stroll* | Aston Martin-Mercedes |
Fastest lap: Nikita Mazepin
*10-second time penalty for rear wing specification change
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2021 Belgian Grand Prix
- Spa spectators who saw no racing offered prize draw for 2022 tickets
- Ocon congratulated by past French F1 aces after breakthrough win
- ‘Wrong to award points for a couple of laps behind the Safety Car’ – Horner
- Hamilton offers “exclusive gift” to fans who attended Belgian GP wash-out
- Change rules to give points for qualifying if race can’t happen – Seidl
Patrick (@anunaki)
29th August 2021, 17:48
Driver of the day is Alan van der Merwe
Dave
29th August 2021, 20:40
Alan van der Merwe P1, Bernd Mayländer P2, truck driver P3. The end!
Bobby Balboa (@bobby-balboa)
29th August 2021, 17:48
Cobblers
Broke1984 (@broke1984)
29th August 2021, 17:48
Epic race. 10 out of 10
Dutchguy (@justarandomdutchguy)
29th August 2021, 17:49
Farcical “race” . Gutted for the fans in the stand.
Peter Lewis
29th August 2021, 20:11
Race?
That was not a race, why on earth did they bother to have a couple of outings behind the safety car just so that they could say that the race was run – there was no race.
With the current down on almost any overtaking moves (penalty!) and keeping circuits like Monaco (where there is no overtaking) – do the owners of F1 want to kill the sport as a spectacle that fans want to watch and just turn F1 into who can qualify fastest?
That was no race today :(
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
29th August 2021, 17:49
So, would this be the first race classification with points awarded with exactly zero racing laps?
Jere (@jerejj)
29th August 2021, 17:49
Russell did great to stay 2nd and achieve his maiden top-three finish in F1.
Mazepin’s FL (albeit point-less) is also a good achievement.
Seriously, though, what a joke. The 2005 US GP looks awesome in comparison.
Mr Fabulous (@mrfabulous)
29th August 2021, 17:50
As races go, it was a bit processional…..
Bonno (@inininin)
29th August 2021, 17:50
Dark day for F1, in more ways than one.
cookie71 (@paulcook)
29th August 2021, 17:51
And they are doing the full interviews. What a farce
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
29th August 2021, 17:51
At least there won’t be any disqualifications for a lack of fuel sample…
OOliver
29th August 2021, 18:04
Probably enough fuel sample for the next 2 seasons.
Robert (@rob8k)
29th August 2021, 17:51
Doesn’t feel like they even tried to have a race. Would have liked to have seen 10 to 20 laps behind safety car to try and clear surface water rather than 2 laps just to have a classification. F1 feels like its moving away from ever having wet races with this.
Pironi the Provocateur (@pironitheprovocateur)
29th August 2021, 17:51
The whole race done behind safety car would have been a better option than this. The fans should get a refund.
chimaera2003 (@chimaera2003)
29th August 2021, 18:00
@pironitheprovocateur They should but I suspect in reality it will be subject to an insurance payout. Would like to be a fly on the wall overhearing that conversation, insurance company will just say no as a winner was declared!
Velocityboy (@velocityboy)
29th August 2021, 17:54
Complete rubbish and the fans who stuck it out in the stands must feel like real chumps. Race the next day, try for an empty slot on the calendar, something to show that putting on the race is of the utmost importance. But to go out of their way to run a few laps behind the safety car so they could classify it as a race is BS.
regs (@regs)
29th August 2021, 18:10
They should return to Spa this year! There are free weekends on 19/09, 03/10, 10/10 (if no Turkey), 17/10, 21/11 and 28/11.
Rob (@)
29th August 2021, 18:49
The weather will probably be even worse though
Learon
29th August 2021, 17:54
Was it so difficult to have the race tomorrow? What a stupid set of rules.
ADUB SMALLBLOCK (@waptraveler)
29th August 2021, 17:58
First, I accidentally clicked “Report this comment”. My apologies! As for running the race tomorrow, the race depends on hundreds of volunteer race wardens, and tomorrow is a work day. I’m not sure they could have enough race wardens to run the race safely tomorrow.
RandomMallard (@)
29th August 2021, 18:16
Yes it would have been. Ignoring the logistics as they would probably be already with the proximity of Zandvoort to Belgium, you have to get enough Marshalls to be able to run a race. They are all volunteers, many of whom are probably working tomorrow. And there is quite a high chance of rain tomorrow as well apparently
Bitten&Hisses (@al-perry)
29th August 2021, 17:55
Too many points for a Qualifying Sprint…
Mark (@melmgreen)
29th August 2021, 17:55
Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous!!!
Steven Robertson (@emu55)
29th August 2021, 17:57
Spa didn’t come across as a good race track in this event, wrong time of year to be there (though can never really predict the weather) and it’s most famous corner sequence is a death trap.
Sam (@undercut677)
29th August 2021, 17:57
Not going forward with the race was the right call with heavy rain, no visibility and all cars packed together at the start. Imagine Lando’s crash with a pack of cars coming up behind him with no visibility as he bounces back accross the track. It could have easily been deadly. The stewards made the correct call.
Those whining need to grow up and realize that no one, regardless how much money they get paid, should be risking their life for your entertainment. If this is what you need to be entertained then you need to seek some help.
TFLB (@tflb)
29th August 2021, 18:02
@undercut677 I haven’t seen many calling for the drivers to go and race in those conditions. The vast majority of the criticism is of the F1 authorities for a: letting it drag on for so long, and b: actually awarding points.
Dutchguy (@justarandomdutchguy)
29th August 2021, 18:15
This^
Sam (@undercut677)
29th August 2021, 18:19
@tflb I see no reason to think, except for cynicism, that they delayed it knowing they weren’t going to actually race. They probably tried their best to make it happen but the weather didn’t improve.
And you are wrong, there are many people on this website saying that they should have raced in these conditions. It’s deplorable.
RandomMallard (@)
29th August 2021, 18:19
@tflb 100% agree. Even supporting people who have benefitted from this (RB, McLaren (at least with DR) and Russell), I don’t think any points should have been awarded. Although I wouldn’t have minded them letting it drag on so long if it was to actually try and provide some racing.
But @undercut677 you are 100% correct about the safety. Spa has seen 5 drivers hospitalised in the last 2 months, and is the site of the last fatality at an F1 weekend. It is a beast of a circuit: amazing when suitable, but horrific when it isn’t.
Sam (@undercut677)
29th August 2021, 18:29
@randommallard well said, these consitions at hungary might have been raceable. Not in Spa, with eau rouge and its recent history. I am glad they made the decision to not let them race.
wbravenboer
29th August 2021, 18:02
You are absolutely right! Here and there I read how people say they should have started, but it is way too dangerous. The marshals could not see the other posts, and Spa is notorious risky in this weather. These cars are so down-force dependent that in these conditions it was undriveable.
I understand FIA’s decision to count the race though, as nobody knows how much races we can get this year.
Next weekend the weather should be a lot better, hopefully the court will decide in favor of the GP, if not he should be looking for another country I fear.
I do feel for the fans, who not only saw nothing, but have to endure many hours in the mud to get home.
Pod
29th August 2021, 18:03
You obviously weren’t watching F1 in the 1970s – 1990s.
I raced at Spa (Caterham championship) in a freakin’ monsoon, could see nothing, far worse than this, water cascading downhill from Radillon to Eau Rouge. You adjust your speed. That said, aqua-planing was a problem in that race.
F1 has lost its way.
Sam (@undercut677)
29th August 2021, 18:16
A yes, lets do things like they were done in 1970-1990 where one driver would die every 3 years on average and others were severly injured so some bloke sitting on his couch eating crisps and drinking a pint is not bored today.
Come on man.
wbravenboer
29th August 2021, 18:22
Perhaps, but there are three weeks of races, next weekend Zandvoort and then Monza. Remember 1998? Apart from injuries, the risk of many damaged cars was perhaps also a factor? On Dutch TV Doornbos and Coronel also said they could have raced, but agreed that they don’t know these cars, in the end there has to be a decision.
Perhaps the big shunt in the W-series and Lando’s crash was also a consideration. As a Max fan this does not feel right, but I do feel this was the right decision. The drivers themselves were also pretty clear that it was too dangerous, and if they say that, then it is.
Pod
29th August 2021, 17:57
Driver of the Day: Lewis Hamilton for calling out Liberty Media and the FIA in his “post safety car laps” interview.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
29th August 2021, 17:58
A total farce. In over 20 years of watching F1 I can think of at least a dozen races where conditions were worse than today, and they’ve always made the effort. Until today.
Wet weather used to be the ultimate test of an F1 driver’s ability. Now all it tests is the patience of the fans.
Jack (@jackisthestig)
29th August 2021, 18:17
For all the criticism aimed at him it’s situations like these where Bernie was a force for good. He would make sure there was some semblance of meaningful race for people to watch.
Rob (@)
29th August 2021, 18:50
I never understood the vitriol at Bernie. And he was clearly better than liberty
Damian Armstrong
29th August 2021, 17:58
If Max had got the fastest lap would that have been a grand slam?
melanos
29th August 2021, 18:15
For the record, yes
TFLB (@tflb)
29th August 2021, 18:00
Utter farce. Almost as bad as the 2005 US GP for me. How can they have the cheek to award points when absolutely no racing was completed? Just wasted everyone’s time. They should have made an early call to move the race to Monday. Not ideal, but apparently would have been possible. Would have saved the fans from getting soaked for nothing and maintained some sporting integrity.
Jack (@jackisthestig)
29th August 2021, 18:09
I quite enjoyed Indy 2005, it was certainly dramatic. Today was just pathetic.
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
29th August 2021, 18:01
I went for a walk, and saw the podium, celebrations. Never seen a driver more sad to scre a win.
RH#4131
29th August 2021, 18:02
Speechless
Pironi the Provocateur (@pironitheprovocateur)
29th August 2021, 18:03
But still the millionaires from all over the paddock found the way to do the absolute minimum and screw thousands of people who blow half of their monthly income to buy the tickets. Honestly, what was this? They should have at least tried and do 20 or more laps behind the safety car so the people at least *see* the cars. This way they only got safe against possible refunds and fees they could be facing for not holding a race. Absolute bare minimum and a total disrespect to fans who were standing in the rain for 4 hours.
Pironi the Provocateur (@pironitheprovocateur)
29th August 2021, 18:04
A reply to @undercut677
Sam (@undercut677)
29th August 2021, 18:09
@pironitheprovocateur
That is another problem not related to the first one. They can still refund those tickets if they wanted to even if the race counted. Nothing stops them from doing so. If they don’t give the fans a refund or some other remedy then shame on them but that is not reason to put the driver’s life in danger.
Also, if they did the whole hour behind the SC you know full well there would be the same criticism. They did the right thing by not letting them race.
Jack (@jackisthestig)
29th August 2021, 18:04
A shambolic episode, an insult to the fans at the circuit to string them along for four hours with no intention of giving them anything to watch.
BaKano (@bakano)
29th August 2021, 18:06
Williams with a double points finish for the second race in a row!
Dutchguy (@justarandomdutchguy)
29th August 2021, 18:13
Really the only positive thing to come out of this. 8th place in the constructors standingd is pretty much certain for them now
FlyingLobster27
29th August 2021, 18:08
After the WEC 6 Hours of Fuji in 2013 ran only behind the Safety Car for 16 laps, with the results decided by Audi rolling the dice and pitting their pole-sitting car and half-points scored, the series implemented a rule that mandated that at least 2 green laps had to be run if points were to be awarded.
Did this not spread to other FIA-sanctioned series? If not, HOW did this not spread to other FIA-sanctioned series?
Dave
29th August 2021, 18:11
Don’t understand all of this…
melanos
29th August 2021, 18:45
Will be get the usual detailed analysis of lap times etc? I guess we won’t be getting much about pitstop times and strategies
CashNotClass (@cashnotclass)
29th August 2021, 18:52
Feels bad for the fans at the track, who’ve been strung along like fools by the collective F1 world. Thumbs up to Lewis Hamilton for giving a voice to the calls for a refund; the F1 world is rich enough to fix this mistake. Sadly, this collective failure by F1 will probably all be brushed under the carpet in time for the next race.
Also, F1 might as well ditch the wet weather tyres, the yellow/striped flags, and all the other ways racing series have handled wet conditions in the past decades. F1 is now strictly light drizzles only. At least Indycar is honest about their stance on the weather.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
29th August 2021, 23:14
It was the right decision to not hold the race as conditions were too dangerous especially given the fact that they were racing at Spa which is a much longer track and the track can change dramatically with every lap.
Not sure why they awarded points though.
Horacio
30th August 2021, 3:15
Mazepin with the “Fastest Lap” is the cherry on top of the cake….
Qeki (@qeki)
30th August 2021, 11:38
What happened to Stroll. In the official F1 results he is 20th. Did he spin?
JMDan (@danmar)
3rd September 2021, 15:48
I wish I could remind the idiotic George Russell-obsessed commentators at Sky F! that a great quali lap doesn’t a race make.