The grotesque lived throughout Sunday afternoon in the 2021 Belgian GP Method 1 solely appears to recall that of the 2005 United States GP, though in circumstances which have little or nothing to do with it.
The F1 he delayed the beginning of his 12th race of the season after a heavy downpour started to fall on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit minutes earlier than 3:00 pm native time, the scheduled begin time. At 3:25 p.m., the grid – now with out a Sergio Pérez who crashed on the exit lap of the pits – accomplished two laps behind the protection automobile earlier than the purple flag flew on the monitor and the vehicles entered the pitlane .
There they remained for a minimum of three hours, whereas Race Route scanned the radar in search of a clearing to attempt to begin. In the meantime, the clock continued counting (from the utmost of three hours established by the rules) till at 5:00 p.m. native time, after two hours, the commissioners determined to cease the clock based mostly on the article 11.9 of the FIA Worldwide Sporting Code which provides them the facility to switch rules “for main causes.
At 18:17 hours, Michael Masi, race director, despatched the 20 vehicles behind the Security Automotive again to the monitor with a play that was clear: he wished to finish the minimal variety of laps allowed to validate the race, though the circumstances they’d not improved.
Thus, after two laps behind the protection automobile, the purple flag flew at Spa-Francorchamps once more and the F1 vehicles returned to the pits. At 6:44 p.m., the race was over and the outcomes have been made official.
However … article 51.14 of the F1 sports activities rules establishes that if a race ends below the purple flag, the outcomes of the penultimate lap can be taken into consideration. As well as, article 6.5 ensures that it takes “greater than two laps” to award half the points so long as 75% of the programmed distance has not been accomplished (44 laps in the case of the Belgian GP).
Nevertheless, the FIA self-justified by publishing the official PDF of the outcomes of the Belgian GP by including a footnote the place it ensured that though article 51.14 had been used to offer the outcomes as legitimate on lap 1, they have been per the 6.5 to distribute half of the points as a result of the chief crossed the management line “on three events” (as soon as in the primary lap, one other in the second and a third when returning to the pits) and “subsequently, finishing greater than two laps to distribute half the points at stake “.
This “management line”, in Spa it’s painted proper on the entrance to the pitlane and extends to the left aspect of the monitor.
Michael Masi later made it clear that the foundations referring to purple flags and people referring to awarding points are usually not associated.
“Three laps have been accomplished,” he stated. “The third lap has been accomplished when the vehicles have crossed the management line in the pitlane. After which the qualification for the points is taken on the penultimate lap earlier than the second the sign was given. So there are successfully two points. separate. One is what you do to finish the race. The opposite is what you do based mostly on championship points. “
Masi defined this after the present provided to followers and viewers: “It has been a very lengthy day. Right now now we have seen the worst of the climate, the circumstances haven’t been excellent all through the weekend, however now we have had moments in which now we have I used to be capable of do every thing. However as we speak time has overtaken us. “
When requested why these final two laps have been made, he stated: “It was to see what the circumstances have been like. We’re in fixed contact with our official meteorological info suppliers and there was a window that appeared to be deliberate there.”
“We’ve got an obligation to offer everybody 10 minutes discover, so it was like ‘let’s attempt to see if we will discover that window.” A number of groups stated the identical factor and so they checked out that window and so they might see precisely what we have been attempting to do. do to search out that climate window after which time got here again in and acquired one of the best of us. “
On the choice of suspending the race for Monday, Masi was blunt.
“There is no such thing as a chance of suspending the race till tomorrow. Clearly, from the attitude of the FIA and in conjunction with F1, security is paramount for the drivers, the groups and all of the spectators. We’ve got given each alternative out there inside the rules and the provisions of the Worldwide Sporting Code to offer us one of the best alternative to finish the race, “he stated.
“Sadly, this time we weren’t capable of cowl the total distance out there, however with the provisions to cease the clock is what we tried to do to see if we might get into that climate window.”
Additionally learn:
GALLERY: This was the 2021 Belgian Method 1 GP
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, in pit lane
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Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photos
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, in pit lane 
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Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photos
Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin AMR21, en pit lane 
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Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photos
George Russell, Williams FW43B 
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Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M 
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Foto de: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M, Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin AMR21 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
El Security Automotive 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
El Security Automotive al frente de Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB16B, George Russell, Williams FW43B, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A521, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF21, Nicholas Latifi, Williams FW43B 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
George Russell, Williams FW43B 
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Foto de: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR21 
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Foto de: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB16B 
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Foto de: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB16B, George Russell, Williams FW43B 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri AT02, Mick Schumacher, Haas VF-21, Nikita Mazepin, Haas VF-21 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari with Stefano Domenicali, Basic Supervisor of Method 1 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren, with engineers 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Belgian motorsport legend Jacky Ickx on the beginning grid 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Drivers stand and kneel on the beginning grid in assist of the Finish of Racism marketing campaign 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M 
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Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Photos
Mick Schumacher, Haas VF-21, Nikita Mazepin, Haas VF-21 
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Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Photos
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri AT02 
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Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Photos
Crimson lights announce race suspension as a result of rain 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Crimson lights announce race suspension as a result of rain 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Crimson lights announce race suspension as a result of rain 
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Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
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