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F1 Principals Defend Spa Delay as Drivers and Fans Criticize Absence of Wet-Weather Racing

FIA’s safety-first stance at Spa highlights blinding spray hazards—elevating urgency for 2026 aerodynamic revisions.

The FIA Safety Car leads Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes and Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 27, 2025 in Spa, Belgium.
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Overview

  • The start of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix was postponed by over an hour because race control judged visibility too poor for safe competition.
  • Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton described the lengthy wait as excessive and said it undermined their wet-weather strategies.
  • Ferrari’s Fred Vasseur and McLaren’s Andrea Stella argued the cautious decision averted potential backlash if a wet-weather accident had occurred.
  • Earlier FIA tests of wheel rain guards and diffuser covers by McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari in 2023–2024 failed to curb spray from ground-effect cars.
  • Formula 1’s 2026 regulations aim to cut downforce and reduce spray but are not expected to fully resolve visibility challenges in the wet.