Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton unite over Belgian GP controversy as frustrations boil

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen both agreed that race control's handling of the Belgian Grand Prix start was an 'overreaction', insisting that the FIA went too far in the wrong direction after driver feedback from the weather-affected British Grand Prix earlier this month. As is often the case at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, rain turned up on race day at the Belgian GP, arriving just in time to affect the start procedure.

After half a lap behind the safety car, race control opted to throw the red flag, antagonising Verstappen, who ranted on the radio that the cars should have continued roaming the circuit under yellow conditions to clear standing water. With the start procedure delayed, the drivers climbed out of their cars, and a larger rain cell hit the circuit. This meant that over 90 minutes had passed from the allotted start time of 2pm (GMT) when racing finally got underway. Even then, many were frustrated as the race director opted for a rolling start rather than a traditional grid launch.

This decision was criticised by two of F1's biggest stars after the race. "I had a lot of fun trying to make my way through," Hamilton explained. "And we obviously started the race a little bit too late, I would say. I kept shouting, 'It's ready to go, it's ready to go!' And they kept going round and round and round.

"So I think they were probably overreacting from the last race, where we asked them not to restart the race too early because visibility was bad. And I think this weekend they just went a bit too much the other way, because we didn't need a rolling start.

"I definitely could have done a standing start. Especially at the end there, because it was almost a dry line. It was hardly any spray. So I definitely could have done it."

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This reaction was echoed by Verstappen, who was extremely animated and passionate when discussing the rain-shy approach from race control. "Between Turn One and Five, there was quite a bit of water, but if you do two laps behind the safety car, it would have been a lot more clear," he said.

"And the rest of the track was ready to go. The more you run, it will be much better. And if you can't see, you can always lift. At one point you will see. Then it's better to say: 'You know what, let's wait until it's completely dry and then we just start on slicks.'

"Because this is not really wet weather racing for me. At the end of the day, they do what they want, right? But I just find it a bit of a shame for everyone. You will never see these classic wet races anymore."