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

Honestly, there’d still be racing and plenty of show. They’d just pull the Safety Car out after about ten laps, clear some water off the track, moan about it for a lap or two, and then just get on with it. I can't even be bothered to dig through the stats to see how many rainy races we've had in Formula 1 history. Long story short—nothing has ever actually been canceled because of rain, and they've certainly never handed out points in such a ridiculous way before, even when the downpours were much worse than this.

There was a bit of a stream running across the track at Interlagos, which made driving...

After everything that happened with Hubert and Jules Bianchi, the FIA isn't taking any chances. And honestly, they shouldn't. Safety has to be the absolute priority here. Given the sheer amount of rain and the fact that we’re dealing with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Masia and the officials made the right call. If Lando Norris had hit a crash like that during the race and someone else plowed into him, it would have been an absolute disaster. Raidillon—or really any corner at this track—is simply not a place where you play games when the weather turns like this.

What leaves a cloud of controversy hanging over last weekend, though, is the nagging feeling that Masia and his team were just making it up as they went along. One minute they’re going, the next they aren't; one minute they’re stopping the clock, the next they aren't. They'll claim there's still an hour left, then suddenly demand another lap just because the sponsors are watching, the TV networks are demanding content, and all those VIPs are standing out in the rain for three hours straight. It felt like they had no idea the rain was coming, almost as if they'd never driven in wet conditions before, leaving everyone asking, "What now? How do we handle this? What's the plan?" But the money keeps flowing, so they had to push through and finish something. The last time I saw a mess like this was back in Malaysia around 2008 or 2009. Back then, they ran a good chunk of the race, and you didn't see nearly this much post-race drama.

By the way, they're already forecasting more rain for Zandvoort. 🙂

stormybadger8 said:The fundamental issue with this whole situation is that infamous 3:00 PM start time, or even worse, those ridiculous 3:10 PM slots...🙄
Whoever came up with that logic completely botched the entire operation.

We have dealt with several messy situations since then, but this latest one really highlights how much of a joke that 3:00 PM rule is...

If the race had actually started at 2:00 PM, we wouldn't be in this mess.
Even if it were raining at 2:00 PM, there would have been a much better chance to get things done and ensure the race actually takes place.
This obsession with a 3:00 PM start is just pure incompetence; every single time there's even a minor delay, you end up with a total disaster toward the end of the race because visibility becomes an absolute nightmare, regardless of whether it's raining or not...

If the geniuses in charge were going to shift the schedule anyway, it would have been far more logical to move it up to 1:00 PM or even noon, just to give everyone enough time to follow the protocols properly...
Instead, while they're busy being "smart," darkness falls and everything just goes to hell...

I assume it is perfectly obvious why they pushed it to 3:00 PM?
It is all about the American audience; here in Texas, I am dealing with a seven-hour time difference, which means the race starts at 8:00 AM for me.
I personally wouldn't have minded a 7:00 AM start, but not everyone is on my schedule...🙂
The new owners just want to maximize their profits... nothing surprising there...

If next weekend brings another torrential downpour, perhaps they can spend another four hours huddled in the garage instead. 🙂

Unless the track conditions are absolutely flawless, paired with perfect rubber and an impeccable car setup, they simply won't stop whining over the radio—it's enough to blow out your eardrums. 🙏

vividwalker13 said:I agree—you don't gamble with the lives or safety of the drivers. But if he made his call, then fine. Anyone in a hurry to get to Greenwich can just head out today instead... It’s easy for us to sit here and debate this from a distance. It's a different story when you have billionaires breathing down your neck, pushing you, and who knows what else they're pulling.

He chose the job, and he gets paid for it. It isn't an easy gig, but the responsibility sits squarely on his shoulders. I can empathize with the fact that no decision is ever simple and every choice carries its own set of consequences, but it is his duty to weigh the optimal scenario and then stand by it. It would be better if the team walked away from this race with slightly less profit but kept their respect and integrity intact, rather than sucking up to sponsors for a pile of cash that, when you look at the big picture in the world of Formula 1, is practically pocket change. He might take some heat for it now, but history will record this as a moment of pride rather than one of shame.

Richard Ross11 said:I mean, it’s pretty obvious why they pushed it to 3:00 PM.
Being in Texas, I'm dealing with a 7-hour difference, so the race starts at 8:00 AM for me.
I wouldn't have minded a 7:00 AM start, but not everyone lives on my schedule. 🙂
The new owners just want to make a buck... nothing surprising there.

It all sounds great on paper, but this stuff has serious consequences. You end up with unsustainable races because everything is a total mess and you deal with these kinds of ridiculous headaches...

God, I'd move to Texas in a heartbeat if it meant every race started at noon European time. 🙏
That would be my perfect 5:00 AM. 😁
Suzuka, Suzuka, Suuuuzuuuuka! Every single weekend. 🙏🤣

urbanfox said:He took the job, so he gets paid for it. It’s not easy, but it's his responsibility. I get it—no decision is ever simple, and everything comes with a downside. But his job is to find the best path forward and own it. I'd much rather see them walk away from a few bucks to keep their integrity than suck up to sponsors for a pile of cash that's basically pocket change in the world of Formula 1. They might take some heat now, but history will remember him with respect instead of shame.

This could get ugly fast...
Under this new leadership, Formula 1 has managed to pull off the worst possible moves for the die-hard fans, all because they’re too busy catering to the casual crowd that barely even watches the sport 🙄
And if those hardcore fans actually lose their minds, their entire business model goes straight down the drain...

Just look at the absolute circus they pulled off in Australia 🤦
One minute we're ready to race, the next there's a crowd outside looking like idiots, and then thirty minutes before lights out, someone screams "COVID-19" and everyone loses their minds and cancels the race, despite tens of thousands of people standing right there waiting...

Now we have this mess at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the real fans showed up only to get slapped in the face the moment the gates opened...

I doubt a full-blown boycott is coming, though. You can step on the toes of true fans indefinitely and they'll just keep taking it...
But hey, it’s not impossible that they finally snap...
There were way too many consecutive cancellations lately (with zero refunds, by the way) that everyone just swallowed, and now this...
The tension is building, and the guy in charge seems completely incapable of making a call, constantly flipping through the rulebook looking for an excuse to either open the tap or shut it...

Jacob Castillo70 said:By the way, they're calling for rain again at Zandvoort. 🙂

Where are you even seeing that forecast? Everything I'm looking at shows mostly cloudy skies for Friday and Saturday—no rain—and then a sunny Sunday.

stormybadger8 said:It’s like they don't even bother asking the drivers, I guess. 🙂
They can say whatever they want over the team radio—depending on whether they need a breather, a Safety Car restart, or just a clean standing start—but honestly, it doesn't really matter. It's all noise.
If Mass tells them to drive, they're gonna drive—simple as that. ☕
Whether he spends the whole lap whining or crying over the team radio doesn't really matter—he’s still gonna be out there driving.

Has anyone ever actually just pulled over or, I don't know, decided to head back to the pits on their own because it started raining or because it got too dark? 🤔

It’s all on Mass—he's the one who might actually have to answer for things if everything goes south. And honestly, with how laws work these days, I guess there's even a chance he could face criminal charges if someone really screws up...
A driver can always just say no—then you wait and see if the team actually gives them the green light or not... I guess.

Didn't Niki Lauda basically pull that off himself? 😬

stormybadger8 said:I find it hard to believe a boycott is actually on the cards. You can push die-hard fans to their absolute limit, and they’ll still show up...

👍 Fans are clearly the weakest link here, which means there's virtually no risk in mistreating them. That's why management spends all its time sucking up to big money sponsors and investors, pinching every single penny at the expense of the race and the people watching. Zero integrity. It's pathetic.

stormybadger8 said:It all sounds wonderful on paper, but it carries some serious consequences—like races becoming completely unsustainable because they just burn through resources, leading to these kinds of messes and absolute nonsense...

Man, I swear, I’d love nothing more than to just move to Texas and pray to God that every single race starts at noon during prime time 🙏
That would be right around my favorite time, 5:00 AM 😁
Suzuka, Suzuka, Suuuuzuuuuka! Every single weekend 🙏 🤣

Welcome… 🙂
As of yesterday, over 600 new laws have gone into effect...
🙂One of them is "constitutional carry," which means anyone over 21 can carry a pistol on their belt—either concealed or open—without needing any kind of permit... since it's considered a "constitutional right"...

Just like the Old West used to be. Yeehaw!

To wrap up the US Grand Prix, here’s one last shot.
The top two are some incredibly attractive women—though you can barely tell, honestly. Everything is covered up, almost like something out of Afghanistan.
In the third photo, you've got a younger Charles Leclerc driving in Formula 3. This was taken right after Sunday's race.
The fourth photo shows Correa, who just made his return to Formula 3 racing after that horrific crash with Anthoine Hubert a couple of years back. You can clearly see him limping on his left leg; he's been through the absolute ringer with surgeries.
Taken following Sunday's race.

Cheers, everyone.
I'll be starting a new thread for the US Grand Prix soon—I'm heading to that race myself.

I thought we’d be looking at some summer gear, but you went and picked out something meant for a winter coat. 🤦 🤦