The 2025 Belgian grand prix didn’t really kick off in any great fashion. Well, it didn’t kick off at all. The infamously fickle weather of the Ardennes region delayed the start of the race by one hour and twenty minutes to be exact. However, there are some that questioned race director Rui Marquez decision to red flag the race after the formation lap.
Yes, there was some puddle of water which amplified the risk of aquaplaning but more than that was the issue of visibility. The spray kicked up by twenty F1 cars is, in a word, horrendous. Imagine sitting in your car behind an 18-wheeler and having to deal with the spray it kicks up. And then know that what F1 drivers must deal with is far worse. Sans windscreens and window wipers drivers are completely blind in these conditions which does not bode well for safety. Add to this that the latest race director operates from a perspective of caution rather than rolling the proverbial dice and the delay was always inevitable.
As per normal, there were many fans who decried the start delay. The complaints weren’t without merit. The weather radar suggested a clear gap in which no rain would fall, and the track too seemed to dry more quickly than normal for what we know of Spa-Francorchamps. I agreed too with the chorus of get-the-show-on-the-road tweeters. There was little to no standing water and no deluge from the heavens. And when it was announced that the restart would be a rolling start the chorus of boos on social media amplified. Commentators too cracked a joke about drivers being allowed to take off their training wheels. Again, I agreed. But then the tv camera cut to a shot of Anthoine Hubert’s mother in the Alpine garage. Hubert, an F2 star in the making, had lost his life at Spa in 2019. And just two years ago Dilano van ‘t Hoff, competing in the Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) for MP Motorsport died in a collision at Spa. It was a sobering reminder that things can go bad wrong very quickly. And that safety should absolutely always be paramount.
Perhaps it doesn’t do the show any favours. Some will protest: They’re gladiators! And yes, they are. Pushing limits most of us can’t fathom. But they’re also human. And no one, no matter how brave or talented, should have to die to entertain us. Not when it can be avoided. The roar of an engine is thrilling; the silence that follows tragedy is unbearable. Spa has already written those chapters in blood. If caution keeps us from adding another name to that list, then let it rain and let us wait.
