Verstappen wins Belgian GP without even competing

RED BULL’S Max Verstappen won today’s Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps without even competing, after the race was red-flagged due to bad weather

With extreme weather conditions prevailing all day today, Sunday, August 29, the Belgian Grand Prix due to take place at the Spa-Francorchamps race circuit never actually happened, as the event was red-flagged after two laps of the drivers following the Safety Car around the track.

As a result of two laps being completed, under the FIA rules, half-points were awarded to the top ten drivers in the order in which they stood after the final qualifying session – the first time this rule had come into play since 2009 in Malaysia – meaning that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was the winner, with the two British drivers, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton second and third respectively, which sees the Dutchman cut Hamilton’s lead at the top of the driver’s championship to just three points.

George Russell gained his first-ever podium under the most bizarre of situations, having driven his Williams to a magnificent second on the grid in qualifying, with his hope of testing himself from second place not materialising, after the2pm BST start time only saw a procession of cars following each other around the circuit, but during which, Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull managed to lock his wheels and slide off the track.

Next up is the Dutch GP on Sunday, September 5, at the Zandvoort circuit, where everybody will be hoping the weather forecast is a bit better!

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