Russell at odds with Verstappen over debated FIA delay

George Russell finished in fifth position at Spa. After overtaking Alex Albon still on intermediates, he was confidently ahead of the Williams driver, but could not put pressure on Charles Leclerc and Verstappen ahead.

The Belgian Grand Prix itself got underway after a lengthy delay. Once the drivers could sit in their cars, the racing began with a rolling start as well.

Verstappen did not agree with that decision by race control. He said: "I mean, they decide. But I just find it is a bit of a shame for everyone. You will never see these classic kind of wet races anymore then, which I think they still can happen," he told GPblog among others.

He also added: "The more you run, it will be much better. And if you can't see you can always lift and then at one point, you will see."

The Mercedes driver was also asked about the race control's decision. "As a racer, you always want to get going. You love driving in the rain. But the fact is, when you’re doing over 200 miles an hour out of Eau Rouge, you literally cannot see anything; you may as well have a blindfold on. It isn’t racing, it’s just stupidity,” he said.