Monday, August 30, 2021
Press comments on the Spa Grand Prix
“Biggest shame in the history of Formula 1”
Rain chaos at the Belgian Grand Prix, waiting more than three hours for the start of the race. The international press tears up the “farce” and writes of a “scandal” and a “waste of time”. In the end, Max Verstappen would not be the winner, but “the money and the storm”.
England
Daily Mail: “Max Verstappen won a farce of a Belgian Grand Prix – a procession behind a safety car for TWO laps. The crowd on the rainy circuit of Spa-Francorchamps waited three and a half hours for the results while the highest paid drivers in the world in their garages sat and waited for better weather. “
The Guardian: “The Belgian Grand Prix will be recorded as a race and the honors for it have been properly awarded, but there was little dignity in the way Formula 1 went on a wet afternoon at Spa-Francorchamps.”
Sun: “Verstappen wins what they have called ‘the race’. It was so ridiculous that the best thing to do is cover it up in silence.”
Gazzetta dello Sport: “The farce of Spa: This is how you end up humiliating Formula 1. You could decide not to drive because of the extreme conditions; it would have been the more logical decision to protect the drivers.”
La Repubblica: “The imaginary Grand Prix – the last farce of Formula 1 – is not driven in Spa, but points are awarded.”
Corriere della Sera: “The farce of the Ghost Grand Prix – in Spa money and the storm win.”
Spain
El Mundo: “That was a pathetic pantomime. One of the greatest shame in the history of this sport. You can’t present the result of a race that didn’t even take place. That is an insult to the history of Formula 1, an insult to competition and the Sports in general. “
Marca: “That was the race of the farmer’s catch. The GP of Belgium showed what Formula 1 is up to date. For some it is sensible, others see it as a fraud. Because this sport still lives today from the mysticism that was created by men who risked their lives for sport without complaint, and often gave them too. “
AS: “Formula 1 is shipwrecked at Spa. Nobody questions that the safety of the drivers has top priority. Due to the poor visibility, there was also little room for maneuver. The” Express “result leaves a bad taste. A very bad one.”
Mundo Deportivo: “Verstappen won the” non-race “at Spa. It was a pantomime that could easily have been avoided by canceling the race or postponing it to Monday.”
L’Équipe: “With card games for some, a nap for the others and a small meal for Yuki Tsunoda, everyone killed the time as best they could while it was still raining outside. Ultimately, Michael Masi announced a restart for 6:17 pm. But it did was a waste of time. “
Austria
Kronen newspaper: “Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won a curious Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday and bagged half World Championship points for it! The race, which actually wasn’t one, will still cause some discussions. After a start delay of more than three hours due to persistently heavy rain, only two laps behind the safety car were reeled out on the evening before dark to bring a result into the classification. “
Switzerland
view: “Time goes by. The rain continues to pound on the asphalt. The Belgian GP has long since become a scandal. Those in charge are trying to get a race start behind the safety car. It’s all about the TV millions.”
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