'Ready to go' Verstappen decries delayed race start

Max Verstappen condemned as unnecessary the FIA decision to delay the start of the Belgian Grand Prix because of adverse weather, but George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, insisted any other call from the governing body would have been "stupidity" given the conditions and dangerous nature of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

- Giles Richards

The start was delayed by an hour and 20 minutes after rain swept into Spa just before the race. The FIA opted not to proceed after one formation lap because the visibility given the spray from the cars was so poor.

The circuit is enormously fast and can be dangerous even in good conditions. There have been two fatalities in recent years, Anthoine Hubert in 2019 and Dilano van 't Hoff in 2023.

Verstappen, whose Red Bull car had been readied to make the most of a wet race, was insistent that the drivers could have coped and that as they began racing they would have been able to clear the standing water.