Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd
Formula 2’s Spa-Francorchamps sprint race was delayed, recheduled, delayed some more, hastily started then abandoned after five laps as rain reduced visibility, and the last decision got drivers’ support.
Initially scheduled for 14:15 local time, the start of the race got pushed back repeatedly as rain fell until race control decided to postpone it. A new timeslot was then sought, and it was rescheduled to 18:15 as the day’s final track activity.
This time cars did make it to the grid, but there was another delay of at least 15 minutes. However, seeing that conditions would soon worsen, race control promptly reacted and the formation lap began at 18:25.
There was enough grip for a standing start and two laps of racing before a virtual and then full safety car period occurred after Campos Racing’s Pepe Marti stopped on track. Race-ending red flags waved on lap seven, meaning results were taken from the end of lap five, due to intense rain reducing visibility. Under the shortened race distance, only the top five scored.
Once they returned to the paddock, Formula Scout got drivers and team principals’ reactions to the decisions that started and ended the race.
“It was a smart decision [to red flag].” said Virtuosi Racing’s Kush Maini. “The first lap or so was fine. Absolutely fine. It was good racing and everything was visible. But here the problem is, as soon as the rain starts picking up, the spray doesn’t go anywhere. It just stays. And behind the safety car I could barely see anything.”
“The start of the race was quite fine, but for two laps,” agreed team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto. “Then it started to rain so much again and was quite dangerous again.”
“The decision was made really well,” Prema’s Ollie Bearman said. “We waited a bit for the conditions to ease up a bit. I was really happy with how they handled the whole situation. It was on the limit to start the race, but of course, in a situation like this, the most difficult is always lap one in terms of visibility and then it closed up a bit.
“But I think we’re all in accordance that it was the right decision to start. They listened to all of our comments anyway and we were all pretty happy. So that was fine. And also to stop the race was the correct call.”
Trident’s Roman Stanek said: “It is right because in the last five years two people have died here and there is nothing more important than safety. So it’s absolutely right. And it’s just unfortunate that if they moved in the calendar Spa one month earlier, the conditions are still like this.”
AIX Racing’s team principal Roland Rehfeld defended the red flag timing and explained the last start delay was down to requiring the availability of the medical helicopter, while Campos counterpart Adrian Campos Jr was unhappy.
“They knew rain was coming. We did two laps, risked the drivers and then for no points.”