Lewis Hamilton Vents Over “Bad Choice” Made At Spa

The Belgian Grand Prix ended up being the shortest race in F1 history with just two laps completed. As these laps were completed behind the safety car, there was no actual racing. Many fans had to wait nearly four hours both at the track and those watching at home before the race was called off. Championship leader Lewis Hamilton was critical of the way the race was handled and he has now explained why

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0:00 - Lewis Hamilton Critical Of Two-Lap Race
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Lewis Hamilton Critical Of Two-Lap Race

Hamilton began by pointing out how there was no chance of a race taking place when they were sent out behind the safety car for the final time

“They knew when they sent us out at the end there that the track wasn’t any better and they did it just so we could start two laps behind the safety car, which is the minimum requirement for a race. I really hope the fans get their money back today”

He then suggested that this was done just to get the minimum number of laps needed for a result

“Well, there was no point at which we could race so there wasn’t a race, but there is a rule that says for it to be a legal race, it has to be – I think – a minimum of two laps so they knew that and they sent us out for two laps behind the safety car and that activates a bunch of things”

He then spoke about the values the sport should have

“I don’t know all the politics and the background but my most concern is that the fans should probably get their money back, I think, and I don’t know if by doing the two laps it means they don’t and that’s… I just don’t think that’s what we want. We have better values than that as a sport”

He was then asked if he would return for a race in Spa if it was organized somehow. He responded by saying

“I’d absolutely come back. I love it here so if there is a way we could find a window where it wasn’t raining and we give the fans a free race, that would be great”

On a separate interview with Sky Sports he summed up his thoughts

“Money talks. It was literally the two laps to start the race. The sport made a bad choice today”
Fast Feed

For Red Bull’s Max Verstappen “it is always good to win and the points are important but [this was] not how anyone wants to do it”

“In hindsight it was very important to get pole yesterday and although it’s a big shame not to do some proper racing laps, as I really love coming to this track, it was just impossible in these conditions”

“The guys behind me couldn’t see a single thing and if someone went off at Eau Rouge and bounced back onto the track they could have been T-boned at high speed which we do not want”, Max explained

His teammate Sergio Perez has accepted that “the lap to grid was [his] mistake, the conditions and visibility were extremely poor and [he] just went on the kerb and lost it”

“[He] always knew there was a small chance [they] could get the car back out and the Team was pushing hard, really showing the spirit of Red Bull Racing which was nice to see”

“I really wanted to repay them for their hard work during the race but that didn’t happen, luckily we are racing again in a few days and we all look forward to Zandvoort now”, Perez concluded

For Williams' George Russell “it’s a strange feeling as [he’s] never had a race finish like this in [his] career”

“But a podium is a podium and [they] will take it no matter what. [They] were rewarded for the amazing job [they] did as a team [in qualifying]”

“Obviously if the race had gone ahead today it would have been incredibly difficult for us to hold our position, but you’ve got to take it as it comes”, Russell reiterated

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated that “in terms of the race result, of course [they] are not happy that points have been awarded for what was a few laps behind the Safety Car”

“But if the regulations allow that, you have to take it on the chin and move on. Now, [they] are looking forward to Zandvoort, to hopefully score some big points and continue this fight for the Championship"

McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo was “really hoping to get a race and obviously it didn’t happen, but it’s no-one’s fault, it’s just the situation and circumstances ”

He further pointed out that they've “got two races on consecutive weekends now so hopefully that makes up for it”

Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel thinks that it was “a frustrating day for all of [them] and an anti-climax, especially for the fans, who were outside in the wet and the cold all day waiting to see a race”

“The FIA had to make some tough decisions today. It is not easy for them, but safety has to be the priority, and even though their decisions may not have been popular they were probably the right ones”, Vettel surmised
Do you think that the race should have been completely called off with no points being awarded?

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