F1 Belgian Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps) Aug 27-29, 2021

Jason Campbell70 said:Look, Domenico laid it out plain and simple enough.

What we actually witnessed this past Sunday was just the path of least resistance for the FIA, the organizers, and all the teams who were terrified of dealing with any more headaches—mostly because they didn't want to touch their wallets.

They really should have just spent at least 20 laps trailing behind the SC.

Honestly, if they just went out onto the track with paper towels to soak up the water by hand, it’d still be a better call than this nonsense they've cooked up. It's about as effective as some corrupt local bureaucrat trying to get things done at City Hall—just a total disaster right now.

darkmarlin16 said:They should have had them follow the SC for at least 20 laps.

Exactly.
Obviously, you wouldn't see a damn thing following the lead car. Every single driver—except maybe Max Verstappen—would have complained loudly over the team radio, and the race director would have rightfully ruled it too dangerous to drive. Sure, it’s "too dangerous," they’re "prioritizing safety," blah blah blah.

Instead, they were sent out for those two measly laps just to save face for the people who paid for tickets and TV rights.
Absolute rock bottom.

darkmarlin16 said:They really should have just swapped F1 and Formula 3; I mean, Formula 3 only has three races scheduled anyway.

And how exactly would you suggest telling the folks at Monza to clear out just so a Formula 3 race could take place?🙂

Or were you only thinking along those lines for this specific race?

vividwalker13 said:

And how exactly would you tell those folks at Monza to clear out just because a Formula 3 race is coming up?🙂

Or were you only thinking about this specific race?

The crew over at Monza wouldn't even have the nerve to stop a race, let alone award points after just two laps under the SC.

mellowtiger83 said:I honestly don't care if they called the race early or whatever. That's not even the issue here. What’s actually up for debate is how they decide to hand out points when nobody even finished the full distance. It's a mess.

Look, let’s just move past whether someone should've even been on the track or not. That’s a whole different rabbit hole. The real issue here is this ridiculous points system. Honestly, where does this nonsense even come from? Someone high up in the governing body needs to answer for this. When you're dealing with half-points at the end of a race, that tiny margin can be the difference between jumping up a spot or sliding down the standings. It's messy, and frankly, it's frustrating.

The whole problem is... they showed up just to race, plain and simple. It shouldn't matter if it's pouring rain or bone dry. But now, some genius decided he’s the smartest guy in the room, thinking he can swoop in and dictate the rules when he clearly doesn't know the first thing about actual racing.

The absolute best races happen when the conditions are total chaos. That’s when raw talent actually matters because you can't just rely on having the fastest car to carry you to the finish line. When things get messy, the engineering advantage starts to fade, and that's where the real drama lives. Honestly, if a team thinks playing it safe is more important than going for glory, they can just pack up and quit right now.

Sam Clark75 said:The whole system is falling apart just because it rained. In Belgium. Where it’s always raining. 🙏

The system is breaking down because of Moss. It’s a textbook case of some spineless bureaucrat who has absolutely no clue what they’re doing...
That’s exactly why we keep seeing this nonsense. Some guy spends all his time digging through the rulebook, trying to cover his own ass so he can claim he did nothing wrong, while making sure his bosses don't lose a dime on his calls. What happens to everyone else? Doesn't matter to him...

stormybadger8 said:The system is breaking down because of people like Moss—classic examples of bureaucratic hacks who lack any backbone and haven't the slightest clue what they're actually doing...
That’s exactly why we keep seeing this nonsense. You have these officials digging through rulebooks, less concerned with the spirit of the game and more focused on covering their own tracks. They aren't worried about being right; they're just making sure they don't get blamed and that their employers don't take a hit financially. What happens to everyone else in the process? That's clearly an afterthought to them...

The reality is that these types are running the world today. It's just how things work now. Those days of having real leaders with actual guts are long gone...

stormybadger8 said:The system is breaking down because someone like Masia is a perfect example of administrative cronyism. It’s all about people who lack any real backbone and have absolutely no clue what they're doing...
That is exactly why we see this nonsense constantly. You have officials digging through the rulebook just to protect their own skin, making sure they aren't held accountable while ensuring their employers don't lose a dime due to their decisions. What happens to everyone else? They clearly couldn't care less...

Like Lewis Hamilton says, money makes the world go round. They can't move the race start time earlier because the money won't allow it, and they can't push it back a day later because the money won't allow that either.
Heaven forbid we move a race two hours earlier just to accommodate the fans or prevent the TV networks from losing their minds. Oh well, I guess if we moved it from 3 PM to 1 PM, the sponsors might get upset about their commercial slots. Priorities, right?

It’s honestly mind-boggling—in a sport where this much money is constantly being thrown around—that there isn't some kind of cohesive strategic blueprint or a set of contingency plans like Scenario A, B, or C ready to go. One unpredictable situation, like a sudden downpour, and the whole thing just falls apart at the knees. It’s a mess that neither the organizers, the FIA, nor Formula 1 should be letting happen.

vividwalker13 said:People like that are running the world today; that’s just the reality of it. There aren't any real tough guys left, people with actual backbone...

The world has changed. If something went wrong today, they would crucify him from every angle. Social pressure alone could dismantle his entire career. Back in the day, a guy with real guts might have done things his own way and put on a hell of a show, but he rarely had to face the fallout. It's easy to act brave when you aren't facing the threat of losing everything. Nowadays, having balls would mean throwing a race tomorrow just to settle some score, while the drivers in Formula 1—who are essentially just there to collect a paycheck rather than out of passion—would just be stuck dealing with the math and the logistics. Risking a driver's life would simply be idiocy.

urbanfox said:The world isn't what it used to be. If something went wrong today, the public outcry would be relentless; they'd crucify him from every angle. That kind of social pressure can absolutely dismantle a career overnight. In the old days, you had guys with enough grit to just do what they wanted and put on a show, but they rarely actually dealt with the fallout. It’s easy to act tough when there’s nothing at stake. Nowadays, having real nerve would mean postponing a race until tomorrow, leaving all those drivers who are essentially just in Formula 1 to chase a paycheck rather than passion to deal with the logistical mess. Risking a driver's life would be pure idiocy.

I completely agree—you don't gamble with people's lives or safety. But if he had made the call, we'd be racing tomorrow, and anyone in a hurry to get to Zandvoort could have left even today... I think it’s easy for us to sit here and debate this, but it’s a different story when you have billionaires breathing down your neck and pulling strings behind the scenes.

Just when I thought I couldn't feel any more for Masia

vividwalker13 said:I agree—nobody should be gambling with a driver's life—but if they decide to go for it, anyone in a rush to get to Zandvoort can just head out today... It’s easy for us to debate this from the sidelines, but it's a different story when you have billionaires breathing down your neck and exerting pressure from all sides.

"Driving tomorrow" is a logistical impossibility—you don't exactly have hundreds of volunteers at your disposal working the track on Sunday only to head back to their regular jobs on Monday.

vividlynx68 said:Trying to get us out on the track tomorrow is basically a suicide mission—you just don't have hundreds of volunteers available who spend their Sundays working at the circuit, only to head back to their regular 9-to-5s on Monday.

Remind me again, what was that number you guys mentioned for how much Formula 1 pulls in annually? Billions, right?

Raymond Anderson4 said:Like Lewis Hamilton says, money talks. They can't move the race start earlier because the cash won't allow it, and they can't push it later because the money won't allow that either.
God forbid we move the race two hours earlier just to stop the TV networks from throwing a fit. Oh no, heaven forbid! We planned on starting at 3 PM, and if we move it to 1 PM, what are the sponsors going to say? "Hey, our commercials aren't airing at the prime slot!" Total disaster.

The core issue with this whole mess is that ridiculous 3 PM start—or even worse, those 3:10 PM nonsense slots...🙄
Whoever came up with that was a complete moron who totally screwed the pooch.

We’ve dealt with plenty of crappy situations since then, but this latest one proves just how stupid that 3 PM rule actually is.

If the race had started at 2 PM, it would have actually started.
If it had been pouring rain at 2 PM, there’d be a way better chance of actually getting things done and holding the race.
This 3 PM stupidity is peak incompetence. Every single time there's a delay, you end up with a total clusterfuck where everything falls apart toward the end of the race, leaving you with zero visibility regardless of whether it's raining or not...

If these geniuses were actually going to mess with the schedule, it would’ve been much smarter to move it to 1 PM or even noon. That way you’d actually have time to follow the rulebook without rushing.
Instead, while they're busy acting smart, it gets dark and everything goes to hell.

It was drivable, obviously. Like Martin Brundle says, he’s raced in much worse conditions than this. It feels like people are just being overly cautious now because of that accident involving Jules Bianchi, but they don't seem to realize that just stepping onto the track is a massive risk in itself. Even with what happened to Romain Grosjean last year, if someone really doesn't feel safe racing, they should just do what Niki Lauda did back in 1976 and call it quits...

James Harris34 said:Sure, they could have raced. Like Martin Brundle said, he’s driven in way worse conditions. Honestly, after that Bianchi accident, everyone's just too terrified to take a risk. They don't get that just stepping onto the track is a massive gamble. If Grosjean had died in that crash last year, he would’ve been just as responsible as Bianchi was. If someone doesn't want to drive, they should just do what Niki Lauda did back in '76 and call it a day.

It's not like anyone actually asks the drivers what they think.🙂
They can blather on the team radio all they want—depending on whether they want a red flag, a Safety Car, or a standing start—but it doesn't change anything.
If Moss tells them to drive, they’re going to drive.☕
Whether they whine or cry over the radio along the way is irrelevant; they'll still be out there.

Has anyone ever actually pulled off the side or decided to just spontaneously pit because it started raining or got dark? 🤔

The call rests with Moss, and he's the one left holding the bag if things go south. With today's laws, he might even face criminal charges if someone gets hurt...
A driver is a driver. They can refuse to drive if they feel like it, then we'll see if their team actually gives them the green light or not...

Tire manufacturers really ought to scrap rain tire production entirely—it’s nothing but a pointless, draining expense, isn't it?

Honestly, I’d much rather see them driving like they’re walking on eggshells if that’s the only way to ensure things don't go sideways like this. Even with more cautious driving, we’d still see action—drivers would fall asleep at the wheel, positions would shift, and points would change just the same. We might lose the essence of pure racing, but at least we get a show, right?

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