2021 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa-Francorchamps, Aug 27 - 29

[Mogster]

I think people can be understanding towards the conditions and not racing in it. I certainly am.

I think what chaps people is the pace car laps counting as race laps, and likely absolving Liberty of any liability to the fans / sponsors / track for a refund or “damages”.

Yes it did feel like Liberty were trying to cover some contractual obligation, I’m sure that was the case.

The BTCC adds safety car laps onto the race laps extending the race length up to a certain point. The teams have to carry more gas to cover this.

[Hoffman900]

No points after all?

https://twitter.com/adamcooperf1/status ... 14796?s=21

If this is the case, then Liberty might be on the hook.

If this were the US, lawyers would already be on retainer.

[214270]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I have questions...<br><br>We completed two laps, yea? Yet awarded half points... <a href="https://t.co/zIWqszLIUo">pic.twitter.co ... </p>&mdash; Matthew Somerfield 🅢🅞🅜🅔🅡🅢Ⓕ① (@SomersF1) <a href=" 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Lol. So they needed more than 2 laps and Masi called red early. I dunno if that’s accurate but hahahahaha

That’s very interesting. Could be some afters and some red faces about this because I’m sure several of the teams would pick up on that if he has and it would have huge financial implications if the race became null and void. However I think maybe one of the laps during the first parade counted to the total lap count?

It’s been an absolute joke of an event. I’m rooting hard for this to be correct lol

[DChemTech]

No points after all?

https://twitter.com/adamcooperf1/status ... 14796?s=21

With Lewis' luck this season, seems likely.

[Mogster]

This is also another reason to return to the original European 14:00 CET start times. There’s just more time on the Sunday to get the full race in before darkness.

[Mogster]

Lol. So they needed more than 2 laps and Masi called red early. I dunno if that’s accurate but hahahahaha

That’s very interesting. Could be some afters and some red faces about this because I’m sure several of the teams would pick up on that if he has and it would have huge financial implications if the race became null and void. However I think maybe one of the laps during the first parade counted to the total lap count?

It’s been an absolute joke of an event. I’m rooting hard for this to be correct lol

Agree. This wasn’t a race and no points should be awarded.

[subcritical71]

I remember when we would race in the rain as long as the medical helicopter could take off. What happened to that? What a farcical event.

Japan 2014 happened.

Kaay I guess I'll just ignore all the other wet races that were held since then. I stand by my statement, there was a time when how the drivers felt was irrelevant and it was an objective standard of whether or not the medical helicopter can take off or not.

This was a farcical event.

RIP Jules.

In my observation ever since Japan 2014 the FIA have gotten a bit more cautious in the rain, particularly in heavy rain which could be seen today. Was the medical helicopter able to take off and get to a trauma facility today? (I'm asking, I don't know) Is the medical helicopter IFR certified and is the pilot instrument rated?

[Just_a_fan]

A morning shooting, a few beers with the boys, a very nice Sunday lunch with SWMBO and friends.

So glad I didn't waste my Sunday waiting for the race that wasn't.

F1 really needs to work harder...

You missed ALL the good stuff, it will not be re-shown

Half points after 2 laps is crap. That's just a give away.

I agree with Hamilton that the fans on circuit should be reimbursed.

[Nimrod]

Too scared to race in the rain?
R.I.P. F1......

[wogx]

"Verstappen - as leader - crossed the control line 3 times, complying with requirement for leader to have completed more than 2 laps in order for half points to be awarded."

[Hoffman900]

Japan 2014 happened.

Kaay I guess I'll just ignore all the other wet races that were held since then. I stand by my statement, there was a time when how the drivers felt was irrelevant and it was an objective standard of whether or not the medical helicopter can take off or not.

This was a farcical event.

RIP Jules.

In my observation ever since Japan 2014 the FIA have gotten a bit more cautious in the rain, particularly in heavy rain which could be seen today. Was the medical helicopter able to take off and get to a trauma facility today? (I'm asking, I don't know) Is the medical helicopter IFR certified and is the pilot instrument rated?

I’d hope F1 could afford a medivac contractor that had pilots who were.

[dtro]

Japan 2014 happened.

Kaay I guess I'll just ignore all the other wet races that were held since then. I stand by my statement, there was a time when how the drivers felt was irrelevant and it was an objective standard of whether or not the medical helicopter can take off or not.

This was a farcical event.

RIP Jules.

In my observation ever since Japan 2014 the FIA have gotten a bit more cautious in the rain, particularly in heavy rain which could be seen today. Was the medical helicopter able to take off and get to a trauma facility today? (I'm asking, I don't know) Is the medical helicopter IFR certified and is the pilot instrument rated?

In my recollection during Charlie Whiting's time it was a matter of the helicopter being able to take off or not. When the helicopter couldn't take off during Hurricane Patricia in Austin 2015 they cancelled one of the free practice sessions and maybe moved the qualifying to the next day but it wasn't because drivers complained about visibility or lack thereof.

Regardless, 20 F1 cars on track would clear standing water better than 5 tractors with street sweeper attachments. There was definitely a window of time when we could have raced today and we ended up waiting four hours for a farcical result.

Easier than refunding the money to spectators at the track I suppose.

[LHamilton]

Article 6.5 in the Sporting Regulation (2021);

"If a sprint qualifying session or race is suspended under Article 50 (41), and cannot be resumed,
no points will be awarded if the leader has completed two laps or less, half points will be
awarded if the leader has completed more than two laps but less than 75% of the original sprint
qualifying session or race distance and full points will be awarded if the leader has completed
75% or more of the original sprint qualifying session or race distance."

So it seems that you have to drive at least three laps to be awarded points. The regulations are complex and there might be nuances that say that points might be given, but reading from this article alone, there shouldn't be points awarded.

[turbof1]

It would be taking a walk with the facts to blame Jules' death on the rainy conditions.

I am fine with cancelling a race due to bad conditions. What is absolutely a farce and pure hypocrisy is then to ignore that exact same logic pure for money. "We can't risk drivers, unless there is money on the line."

Utterly shameful, and in my eyes worse than USA 2005.

[zibby43]

"Verstappen - as leader - crossed the control line 3 times, complying with requirement for leader to have completed more than 2 laps in order for half points to be awarded."

But, there is a countback for classifying a result.

So we are back to under that threshold.

And are we surprised since Masi frequently doesn’t know the rules?