The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix was marked by controversy, due to the FIA's decisions regarding the weather conditions. It was known early on that the weather would be unstable, with rain forecast for much of Sunday. While the Formula 3 race was canceled for safety reasons, the Formula 2 race did take place on a wet track.

However, when it came to Formula 1, the situation generated even more frustration. After a formation lap behind the Safety Car, the stewards decided to raise the red flag and postpone the start of the race. The delay lasted almost an hour, despite the rain beginning to ease and several drivers stating that the conditions were manageable.

Spa-Francorchamps, a legendary circuit steeped in history and emotion, is also a track marked by tragedy. From Lando Norris's serious accident in qualifying in 2021 when Sebastian Vettel unsuccessfully called for a red flag moments before to the deaths of Anthoine Hubert in 2019 and Dilano van't Hoff in 2023, the Belgian circuit has forced the FIA to be much stricter in wet conditions.

But the decision to wait for the rain to completely stop was, for many, excessive. As a result, a race that promised exciting mixed conditions ended up being a contest on a damp but already stable track, with no weather threats and, generally speaking, quite boring. A missed opportunity to experience one of those classic unpredictable races that have made motorsport such a fascinating sport.

Several drivers spoke out. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were blunt in stating that they should have been brought out on track much earlier, and that such decisions are "killing the sport," preventing the public from enjoying the iconic rain-soaked races of the past. On the other hand, “younger drivers” such as Oscar Piastri, George Russell, Franco Colapinto and others supported the FIA's decision, arguing that the most important thing is always to prioritize safety, especially at a circuit like Spa.

According to several drivers, after the chaotic race at Silverstone, they met with the FIA to agree that greater caution was needed in extreme conditions. However, in Belgium, those precautions seemed to be taken to the extreme. The FIA must find a balance. It is essential to put driver safety above all else, but it is also key to accurately assess when the weather begins to improve and a safe start is possible. As Verstappen pointed out, such conservative decisions can not continue to be made without compromising the essence of the sport.

And this is where the debate intensifies: Is the FIA correctly applying safety criteria to each situation? Is it losing the ability to react flexibly to conditions that would otherwise allow racing?

Conservative FIA decisions and rain: where's the real problem?

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