Belgium F1 GP 2021: Verstappen ‘wins’ cancelled Spa race

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) has been proclaimed the winner of the Belgian F1 GP 2021 despite the race being cancelled due to the adverse weather conditions and poor visibility at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit

The Briton George Russell (Williams), who scored his first F1 podium, and his compatriot and championship leader Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) completed the top-three of the ‘phantom race’.  

Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren), for his part, achieved his best result with the Woking team with a fourth place, ahead of Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), fifth and Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri), sixth.  

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Given the unusual circumstances, the final classification has been taken from the order of the starting grid, which was established on Saturday. The decision was made after the second failed attempt to proceed with the race at 18:17pm on Sunday. 

After completing two laps of the Belgian track behind the Safety Car, the event was finally cancelled As per current regulations, and considering the small number of laps completed, half of the points were awarded to those drivers entitled to them.

By the time it was finally cancelled, the race had already been delayed by three hours in the hope that the weather would improve, something that never happened. Fans in Spa stayed put during all that time in the wet and cold, in the hope to see their idols race.

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Regardless of the unorthodox circumstances which have decided the fate of the Belgian race, Verstappen managed to take his sixth triumph of the season after Emilia-Romagna, Monaco, FranceStyria & Austria. 

With this victory at the Belgium F1 GP 2021, the Dutchman has broken the small, two-race winless streak he had before the summer break (Great Britain and Hungary) but he still didn’t get enough points to take back the top of the standings. 

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His new 12,5 points add up to a total of 199.5, three less than the 202.5 of golden boy Hamilton. If the Briton had been third in a conventional race, however, he would have lost his fragile leadership. 

Lando Norris (McLaren), for his part, fully recovered from his nasty accident on Saturday, remains third with 113 points, followed by Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) in fourth with 108 points and Checo Perez (Red Bull) in fifth with 104. 

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Images of Belgium F1 GP 2021: Red Bull Racing.

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