The Belgian Grand Prix weekend of 2025 will probably go down as one of the biggest letdowns of recent years. This was due to a very interesting Sunday shower at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, followed by an even more interesting 80-minute delay to the Belgian GP. The delay caused the track to dry up almost completely, to the point where inters were only a formality during the race.
The initial wait to start the race was reminiscent of the 2021 version of the Belgian GP. This year’s delay saw many drivers and fans alike complain about the decisions made by the Race Director. According to them, there was no need for the red flag or the 80 minutes that ensued.
To race or not to race in the rain at Spa
At the initial start at 3.00 p.m. local time, the FIA decided to start the formation lap behind the safety car to assess the track conditions. A decision that everyone can understand, given that two of the latest Formula-series deaths were at the infamous Eau Rouge/ Radillion corners. While this understanding is evident among fans worldwide, many fans still believe that the Belgian GP of 2025 is a race that could have been rather than a race that was.
could have been an interesting race, but they decided to start it after all that was over, and become a snooze fest
— Richard Hyland (@richardhyland) July 29, 2025
While many people expected an iconic, wet weather race with a possible crossover to slick tyres in the final stages of the Grand Prix, what we got instead was an eternal wait for what some fans described as a “snooze fest”.
Following this event, an important question comes to mind: Should F1 still be racing in wet conditions if the FIA just waits for the track to dry out whenever they have to start a race on a wet track?
Nah – we had about 20 laps with excitement and then booooring. 😅
— MarieLouise Lyngsø (@LisePigen14) July 28, 2025
In the current era of Formula 1, several races were interrupted due to poor visibility when the track was wet. This is more down to the spray coming from the floor of the cars rather than the spray from the tyres. Nevertheless, the question stands.
Quite boring except Lewis’ overtaking. Definitely need some changes. 🤷♂️
— Julia_Harukalover (@WindyharukaF1) July 28, 2025
After the race, fans and content creators took to all forms of social media to slam the FIA for their ‘poor’ decision to rob the fans of what could’ve been a spectacle. Replies going from “we had about 20 laps with excitement and then booooring.” to “The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix was a FARCE!”
Safety over excitement in Formula 1 2025
While Formula 1 couldn’t go racing in the wet at Spa, the FIA had no issues letting the lesser experienced F2 and F3 series race in arguably worse conditions. Conditions that saw only a few drivers spin out while the majority of them didn’t just race, they battled hard. So why can Formula 2 receive the chance to put on a great show in the most difficult of conditions while Formula 1 just has to sit and wait?
Formula 2 CEO, Bruno Michel, had high praise for the drivers after a challenging Feature Race at Spa! 🤝#F2 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/Jki94j9ukC
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) July 29, 2025
Following the Silverstone Grand Prix, many drivers knew that the Race direction would opt for a little safer racing, but many people believe that what happened at Spa was the other extreme. Fans around the world come to these Grand Prix for the best racing action around the world. For them to be disappointed like they were at Spa last week is a real shame and a disservice to the sport as a whole.
