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

[zibby43]

Also, with respect to 6.5, VER only crossed the control line twice from "race start" to suspension (red flag).

So I don’t even know if that is satisfied fully.

[nacho]

Did anyone else think that they should have continued running behind the safety car in the beginning and the track for as many laps as required?

[f1jcw]

Did anyone else think that they should have continued running behind the safety car in the beginning and the track for as many laps as required?

Yup and tried to clear the water

[proteus]

Lewis continuing his lucky streak of losing a lesser amount of points, when underdelivering.

Given he was setup for the race and not qualifying I think it's not unreasonable to think he was actually on for the win if the weather was ok.

It might be, but on the other hand he lost only 5 points instead of starting 10 (rhetorically). To be perfectly clear, i do not intend to mean anything bad, but to me its another lucky result for him, which will secure him another championship this year. On the other hand Max could have gone off and Lewis could win.

[Red Rock Mutley]

The fact that it’s not clear cut, and in fact, is sort of paradoxical, means that teams that lost out today are going to challenge this determination

I don't see the 2 rules combining to create a paradox, quite the opposite as the 2 laps provision in 6.5 accommodates the count back for classification

I think the bigger problem lies in only 2 laps were recorded on the official timing. It's not reasonable to argue 6.5 provides duplicate clauses in this case, it can't simultaneously be "more than 2 laps" and "2 laps or less"

6.5 "If a race is suspended under Article 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 race distance and full points will be awarded
if the leader has completed 75% or more of the original race distance"

[edited for dyslexia!]

[proteus]

In my opinion FIA must have known that the race is a no go right from the start. If i can predict a storm which is coming towards my house, the duration of it and intensity just by using my phone and my country weather agency radar, i believe FIA is supposed to be a bit better with all of their technology at their disposal. Instead they were waiting with their fingers crossed, hoping for a miracle which didnt happen. The biggest problem is that the number of races is simply too big and cluttered, thats why they cant even react to problems when they appear. They are also incredibly stiff with their running programs and tracks itself are not prepared enough for heavier showers...With moving the races even later then they were before they enabled another problem of fading daylight.

[Restomaniac]

It’s clear there was no intention of having them out without the safety car all in the name of financial gain, I am sure. The points allocation is almost the secondary issue here.

A defensible and more condemning reading is that they already had this plan in mind when they invoked force majure to ignore the 3hr rule, to buy them more time to play this stupid 2 lap game.

Terrible day all around.

They hoped they could get an hour gap, that is why the used the force majeure. It seemed that wAy at a point. After the yellow radar images it seemed to clear up. But didn’t. So they went out for the 2 laps to honour the Qualy result, grid Punishments etc.

Nothing to be done. Look at the w series crash and caio collets moment. They went safety first.

The worst “race” in years. Crikey, what a bore.

No you’re right it wasn’t a ‘race’ at all. It was slot car event.

[Hoffman900]

Lewis IG story says pretty much what all of us are.

It was unsafe, which we all can acknowledge, but the two laps at the end were about having an out in regards to refunds.

[zibby43]

The fact that it’s not clear cut, and in fact, is sort of paradoxical, means that teams that lost out today are going to challenge this determination

I don't see the 2 rules combining to create a paradox, quite the opposite as the 2 laps provision in 6.5 accommodates the count back for classification

I think the bigger problem lies in only 2 laps were recorded on the official timing. It's not reasonable to argue 6.5 provides duplicate clauses in this case, it can't simultaneously be "more than 2 laps" and "2 laps or less"

6.5 "If a race is suspended under Article 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 race distance and full points will be awarded
if the leader has completed 75% or more of the original race distance"

[edited for dyslexia!]

You make some very excellent points.

And I have no doubt team principals on both sides of the issue are hashing out those precise details right now.

[turbof1]

The fact that it’s not clear cut, and in fact, is sort of paradoxical, means that teams that lost out today are going to challenge this determination

I don't see the 2 rules combining to create a paradox, quite the opposite as the 2 laps provision in 5.6 accommodates the count back for classification

You can interpret it that way:

Article 6.5 states: "If a sprint qualifying session or race is suspended under Article 50, 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."

Article 51.14 states: "If the sprint qualifying session or the race cannot be resumed the results will be taken at the end of the penultimate lap before the lap during which the signal to suspend the sprint qualifying session or the race was given."

If you interpret 54.14 as "the laps after the end penultimate lap before the lap during which the signal to suspend was given, do not count", it will have an impact on 6.5.

Also 54.14 is not clear on what it means with "results". Results can be interpreted as just "the finishing order", but can also be seen as results as in "amount of laps completed" and other data.

To stave this, in, 2003 Alonso crashed on lap 54. They pulled out the safety car, but on lap 56 the race was red flagged. In official communication, race winner Fisichella officially completed 54 laps and NOT 56. So there's a very big argument that the FIA set precedent in the past regarding this and are now contradicting their own.

[Tim.Wright]

For what it's worth...

After the race 'resumed' they did one out lap, one timed lap and one in lap.

Radio communications were blocked by F1TV after the restart.

[turbof1]

For what it's worth...

After the race 'resumed' they did one out lap, one timed lap and one in lap.

Radio communications were blocked by F1TV after the restart.

Yes, but when a session is red flagged the result is taken from 2 laps back (simply speaking). The FIA has already confirmed there is officially just on lap on the result table.

The discussion now is whether if they have to apply the countback on regulation 6.5 as well, and have to view these laps that are stricken from the result table as "completed".

[f1jcw]

For what it's worth...

After the race 'resumed' they did one out lap, one timed lap and one in lap.

Radio communications were blocked by F1TV after the restart.

The out lap doesn’t usually count as a full lap?

So that’s 2? Hmmmm doesn’t that mean zero points.

[nevill3]

Does the control line (finish line) extend into the pits?

[Espresso]

Whatever debate about the validity of the race I'm stoked and happy for Russell. Lad deserved this one merit!