The start of the 2025 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix was delayed by more than an hour after sudden rain showers swept across the Spa-Francorchamps circuit just before the lights were due to go out. What was supposed to be a 3pm local time start turned into a prolonged wait, as the FIA responded cautiously to safety concerns caused by limited visibility.
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Formation Lap Ends In Red Flag
As the rain arrived minutes before the scheduled start, the FIA chose to send the cars out behind the safety car for a formation lap. This would help assess track conditions before the actual race began. While the level of standing water wasn’t alarming, drivers quickly reported an even bigger issue—extreme spray and lack of visibility.
Pole-sitter Lando Norris was among those who flagged the issue. “It was bad for me up front. I can only imagine how much worse it was for the guys further back,” He said after the red flag.
Several other drivers echoed similar concerns, saying the visibility made it dangerous to race even if the grip levels were acceptable.
FIA Waits for Weather Window to Clear
According to weather predictions at the time, the final burst of rain was expected to clear in about 30 minutes. With that in mind, the FIA took the decision to suspend the start procedure and wave the red flag, rather than forcing the grid to run in unsafe conditions.
This move also meant that the official race clock had not started, so the three-hour time limit to complete the Grand Prix was not yet in effect. This allowed more flexibility in terms of when the race could be resumed.
Race Starts With Rolling Start At 4:20 PM
At around 4:20 PM local time, the race resumed with another safety car deployment. After several laps behind the safety car to help clear some of the remaining water and give drivers time to adapt, the Belgian GP finally got underway with a rolling start, rather than the usual standing grid launch.
Despite the long wait, the fans remained engaged, many recalling the chaotic 2021 edition of the Belgian GP that ended without any proper racing laps due to similar weather troubles.
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Lessons From 2021 Prompt Rule Changes
In 2021, Formula 1 came under fire for awarding points in a race where no real racing occurred. Just a couple of laps were completed behind the safety car before the event was called off. This led the FIA to revamp the rules governing points allocation for shortened races.
Here’s a quick look at the current points system for races that don’t run their full distance:
- No points will be awarded unless at least two green-flag laps are completed by the race leader.
- If 2 laps but less than 25% of the race is completed, the top five drivers receive points: 6-4-3-2-1.
- If 25% to 50% of the race is run, the top nine earn points: 13-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.
- If 50% to 75% is completed, the full top ten get points on a slightly reduced scale: 19-14-12-9-8-6-5-3-2-1.
This system ensures that races disrupted by weather or other delays still have a fair and balanced points structure, while avoiding repeats of the 2021 controversy.
Mixed Day For Other Series
Earlier in the day, the Formula 3 feature race was called off completely due to heavy rain. However, the Formula 2 and Porsche Supercup races were completed without major weather-related issues.
As the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix eventually got underway, the rain-soaked delay once again highlighted the unpredictable nature of Spa-Francorchamps—and why it’s one of the most challenging venues on the F1 calendar.
Image source: F1 Newsroom
