Belgian GP simply a “freak” day for F1 - Toto Wolff

Torrential rain in Belgium on Sunday meant the race never properly got underway as all the racing laps took place behind the Safety Car.

Max Verstappen was classified as the winner ahead of George Russell, who claimed his maiden F1 podium.

With half points handed out, Verstappen cut Lewis Hamilton’s lead to just three points in the championship going into this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Reflecting on Sunday’s events, Wolff said: “This has never happened before, so you need to take it as a freak day, where we all hoped to have a spectacular day that didn’t happen. Are there any learnings? I’m not sure, because we are dependent on the weather. 

“Everybody tried hard to get a race underway and because of the rain, it didn’t happen. I think we have had plenty of fans today that will have to go back to their jobs tomorrow and we would have tried to have the race for the local fans. Therefore that wouldn’t have made a great difference for them.”

Hamilton described the decision to go out again after the prolonged red flag stoppage as a “farce”, saying it only happened for money reasons.

Wolff was asked if he agreed, he replied: “I think we all have reasons to be upset. Half points have been awarded when probably it was expected that the weather wouldn’t get any better, but it is what it is. I guess you need to take this one on the chin and close the chapter for this race and move on. 

“In a certain way, we must really applaud the fans, who have been there for three days in the rain. They have waited for a race to happen. But as a team, we lost some points and that’s why we have to move on.”