After every Formula 1 race, driver Jeroen Bleekemolen shares his observations in an exclusive column for Formule1.nl. Who or what caught his attention, what went well, and what needs to change? This time, after the Belgian Grand Prix: About the delayed start, the balance between safety and spectacle, and whether there was still something to enjoy…
Rain and Spa, a decision by the race direction, and whether or not to drive. Everyone has an opinion on it, and I understand that. But these are all things that remind us on such a Sunday afternoon of the fatal accident of Dilano van ‘t Hoff in the rain in Spa a few years ago. Let’s never forget that, please, it still gives me goosebumps when I think about it.
And rest assured that the Formula 1 race direction also thinks about it and even discusses it in relation to deciding whether or not to drive in rainy conditions.
Could the race have started earlier, as Max Verstappen said afterwards, for example? Yes, I think so. About ten minutes earlier, maybe even twenty. So around four o’clock, when the sun started to shine. Just starting at such a moment, that could have been done. And a standing start, that could have been done when the time came.
I think it took just a bit too long now, around four o’clock it was safe enough and then you would have had a very different – perhaps more fun – race. I understand someone like Max anyway, because as a driver and team you set up the car for rain and then you see the race direction waiting until it stays dry. That’s annoying if you’re a driver.
But that same race direction thinks about safety and that is understandable in light of what I said about Dilano. For example, that they immediately postponed the start at three o’clock. A very good choice, where they also cleverly took into account that it would rain harder. If they had started at three o’clock, it would have been chaos.
In the end, there was still quite a bit to enjoy, though. Look at Max’s victory on Saturday in the sprint race, for example. Or see the way Lewis Hamilton drove on Sunday: he was incredibly fast in the rain. Not normal. And he – or the team – also made the right choice to be the first to go in. Well done.
