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Verstappen accuses race organisers of being overcautious with rain delay / Photo: Dimitar DILKOFF - AFP
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Verstappen accuses race organisers of being overcautious with rain delay
Max Verstappen accused race organisers of being overcautious on Sunday when they decided to delay the start of the Belgian Grand Prix by 80 minutes following heavy rain.
The four-time world champion said he believed that instead of suspending the race after one formation lap behind the Safety Car, Race Control should have kept the field out on the track to clear standing water.
"It wasn't even raining," he said, referring to the decision taken at the scheduled race start time of 1500 local time (1300 GMT). "Of course, between Turns One and Five, there was quite a bit of water.
"But if you do two or three laps behind the Safety Car, then it would have been a lot more clear -- and the rest of the track was ready to go anyway.
"It's a bit of a shame. I knew that they would be a bit more cautious because of Silverstone, but this also didn't make sense.
"Then, it's better to say 'let's wait until it's completely dry' and we'll start on slicks because this is not really wet weather racing for me."
Instead of staying out, however, the field were taken back into the pit lane to wait for more than an hour, waiting until improved weather conditions prevailed.
The race then began with a rolling start after four laps behind the Safety Car.
Verstappen finished off the podium for the third consecutive race as series leader Oscar Piastri led team-mate Lando Norris home in a convincing McLaren 1-2.
"On the intermediates, we made a choice with the set-up and then they only allowed us to drive in almost slick conditions," said the Dutchman.
"That was a bit disappointing because we spoke, after Silverstone, about being a little more cautious, but this was the other extreme for me.
"So, the choice that we made with the set-up of the car was then the wrong one, because they didn't allow us to race in the wet.
"And, once we had the dry tyres, we were just too slow on the straights. That with all the general balance problems I have with this car just made everything worse."
F.T. Michaud--SMC
