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The start of Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix has been suspended and the race is under red flag conditions due to the weather conditions at Spa – and is running out of time on Sunday to be completed.
F1’s first race after the summer break was due to begin at 3pm local but constant rain has left track conditions and visibility poor.
The start was delayed several times before the formation lap finally began at 3.25pm behind the safety car.
However, the start procedure was suspended during the second lap behind the safety car and then red-flagged before the race had officially begun.
The three-hour window for the race to be completed started from the initial race start time (3pm local), which means the race has to be finished by 6pm local time.
During the delay, FIA race director Michael Masi checked if Sergio Perez was allowed to join the start after crashing on a reconnaissance lap and Red Bull withdrawing him because it did not expect to be able to repair the damage in time.
He later concluded that Perez could start the race, albeit from the pitlane rather than the seventh place he qualified in on the grid.
His Red Bull team was able to repair his car, but it remains to be seen whether there will be any racing laps at Spa.
Prior to that decision, Red Bull asked him if Perez could take the start if the team can repair his car during this red flag period and Masi said no because in the FIA’s view he received outside assistance to return to the pits.
“It’s not Le Mans,” Red Bull’s Jonathan Wheatley contested over the radio. The team’s argument is that only applies in the race and the race technically hasn’t started.
Article 22.4 of the sporting regulation states: “If any mechanical assistance received during the race results in the car re-joining the stewards may disqualify him from the race.”
F1’s sporting regulations also only state that “any car which does not complete a reconnaissance lap and reach the grid under its own power will not be permitted to start the race from the grid”, which therefore does not prevent a pitlane start.
We believe that he hasn’t had outside assistance so that’s what Jonathan’s just querying with the FIA at the moment,” Red Bull boss Christian Horner told SkySportsF1.
“Mechanics are working flat out trying to work a miracle. It’s a much bigger impact than Max had in Hungary so at the moment we’re just throwing everything at it and I hope if this race does restart and who knows, it could be another hour or so delay, you know, we could have him back in the race.”
Horner said the repair job would usually take three or four hours to complete, but his team was able to complete it far faster.
It’s also unclear whether or not Perez would begin the race – should it be restarted – one lap down or on the lead lap.
