Lewis Hamilton has called the Belgian Grand Prix a “farce” after he was given a grid penalty for engine changes. He also said that fans should be refunded their tickets, claiming they were misled.
Lewis Hamilton called the Belgian GP a farce and said that fans should get a refund.
After waiting hours in the cold and rain without witnessing a competitive lap in the shortest race in Formula One history, Lewis Hamilton claimed Belgian Grand Prix spectators should get their money back.
The rainy race at Spa-Francorchamps was called off after the field completed the two laps required for half-points to be awarded while circling behind the safety car.
After the podium ceremonies, seven-time world champion Hamilton, who finished third for Mercedes, told Sky Sports, “Money speaks and the two laps to start the race are all a money situation.”
“So everyone gets their money back, and I believe the fans should as well. Because they were unable to see what they had paid for.”
The Briton expressed his regret for the fans, but said that racing was impossible due to the weather conditions.
“Obviously, we can’t control the weather, and I enjoy racing in the rain,” he said, “but today was different.” “You couldn’t see the vehicle ahead of you, there was aquaplaning, and it was simply a track catastrophe.”
“The supporters, on the other hand, remained out in the rain. They still had energy and generated an atmosphere, but today they were deprived of a race. I believe they are entitled to a refund.”
On Sunday evening, Hamilton vented again, writing on Instagram, “Today was a farce, and the only people who lost out are the spectators who paid good money to see us race.”
“Of course, you can’t control the weather, but we have sophisticated technology that can tell us what’s going on, and it was obvious the weather wouldn’t let up.”
“We were sent for one and only one purpose. Two circuits behind a safety car, with no chance of gaining or losing a position or providing entertainment to the audience, isn’t racing. We should have simply called it a day, spared the drivers’ lives, and reimbursed the fans, who are the lifeblood of our sport.”
Commercial arrangements, according to F1 and the FIA, were not a consideration in determining how many laps were run behind the safety car.
“It doesn’t matter whether there are two laps or zero laps,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali remarked.
“That’s why, when I hear there were commercial talks behind the scenes, I know it’s completely false.” When it comes to racing, there is a level of responsibility and a defined procedure.
“These things have nothing to do with each other.”
Fans who purchased tickets for the Belgian Grand Prix via the Spa-Francorchamps track rather than F1 will be a “subject of notice” in the coming weeks, according to Domenicali.
Lewis Hamilton arrives at Spa Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix. Getty Images/Mario Renzi/Formula 1/Formula 1
Toto Wolff, the CEO of Mercedes-Benz, said that everyone had cause to be angry.
“It’s just the way it is. I suppose you’ll have to take it in stride and go on from this race, “remarked the Austrian
“We have to congratulate the supporters who have waited for three days in the rain for a race to take place.”
Because no overtaking was allowed, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was awarded the winner ahead of Williams’ George Russell. Hamilton’s eight-point advantage has been cut down to three points.
The race was called off three hours and 44 minutes after it was scheduled to begin at 1844 local time.
Verstappen, who gets a lot of support from his army of Dutch supporters that go over the border to Belgium for the race, expressed his sympathies to the fans.
“I believe the credit for today belongs to all the spectators surrounding the track for being here the entire day in the rain, in the cold, in the windy conditions,” he added.
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