Max Verstappen declared winner of farcical Belgian GP as rain plays havoc

Mandatory two laps completed behind safety car at Spa
Half-points awarded after shortest ever F1 grand prix

Formula One completed the shortest race in the sport’s history at the Belgian Grand Prix. After just three laps and eight minutes, all behind the safety car at Spa-Francorchamps, Max Verstappen was declared the winner for Red Bull with George Russell bringing in second for Williams and Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in third.

However in what must count as a completely farcical determination by F1 to declare a result come what may, none of the drivers actually did any racing. With persistent rain all morning that the track was very wet and the start was initially delayed four times by 25 minutes and then after two formation laps behind the safety car the conditions were adjudged too bad to continue and the start was formally suspended. The rain promptly only began to fall harder.