Let’s be honest, some Formula 1 races are better than others. Some races have more overtaking, better racing, and more intrigue, while others have little of that and are simply drivers going fast around a track. However, one race stands out as the worst Formula 1 race of all time: Spa 2021.

Welcome to Lore Tuesdays, a weekly series through the off-season, telling you stories about the greatest moments in Formula 1 history. Each week, we will retell one of the greatest F1 moments in history and why it is so ingrained in Formula 1 history. Strap in, here we go!

The Spa-Francorchamps track

The track in Wallonia, Belgium, is an iconic part of the Formula 1 calendar. The track was opened in 1925 and sits in the rolling hills and forests of the Ardennes region of the country. Because of the location, it is known for its unpredictable weather. There have been times when the race has had rain in one sector and dry track in another.

This has also been a driver’s favourite on the track, and has constantly been renewed by Formula 1. A difficult race, this race challenges drivers across multiple corners and stretches of track. It is the longest track on the grid by some distance.

The 2021 Belgium Grand Prix

2021 was an epic battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Both drivers were constantly trying to pass each other, with Hamilton looking for his eighth Drivers’ Championship and Verstappen his first. Verstappen was up by three points going into Spa.

This was going to be a wet race. Rain was in the forecast for the entire race weekend, with it only getting worse as the weekend wore on.

Qualifying started damp, with light rain, but as it wore on, the rain only got worse. By Q3, the track was soaked. Water was pooling all over the track, and the spray coming back onto the cars was not great.

Lando Norris crashes

On his fourth lap of Q3, Norris was flying. Looking to push for a high grid position, the McLaren entered the Eau Rouge/Raidillon complex. This is an iconic corner. A hard left turn flows straight into a steep uphill right-hander before cresting the hill. In clear conditions, drivers take this turn at over 300 km/h.

In the rain, Norris’ McLaren hydroplaned on the water, going through the left turn, and he hit the barrier with force. This was a massive crash- his car was destroyed. The front of the car was smashed, the wheels ripped off, and there was debris everywhere. Medical staff rushed to Norris, who was conscious but in pain. He was transported to the hospital but cleared to race.

After the accident, qualifying could not continue due to the race conditions. As a result, the grid order was set based on the times already set. Verstappen was on pole, George Russell of Williams started second, and Lewis Hamilton began in third.

It’s worth noting how big this was for the Williams at the time. The team struggled to pick up points, but Russell starting the race in the front row was massive for the small team.

Race day at Spa 2021

Sunday was race day, and the weather was horrendous. It wasn’t just raining- it was pouring. Visibility was terrible, and there was water pooling on the track. Fans in the stands were completely soaked, but still turned out to watch the race.

By mid-afternoon, Race Control was still assessing the situation, but the rain showed no signs of letting up. The race was set to start at 3 pm local time, but with the weather conditions, Race Control opted to delay the start. Fans were cold and miserable, but with ticket prices what they are, there was no way they were leaving.

At 4 pm, there was still no update. Naturally, Race Control had to make a decision, weighing multiple factors. On the one hand, they needed to think about their drivers and the safety of racing in these conditions, but on the other, there was a lot of money on the line. Further, thousands of fans had turned up to watch a race, and with the championship battle as close as it was, could cancelling the race impact the results at the end of the season?

At 4:17 pm, the decision was made to have a rolling start behind the safety car if the conditions allowed. Provisionally, they wanted to try to race, but allowed the option to cancel should it not work.

Racing at Spa 2021

The formation lap began, and it’s chaos. The tv cameras cannot see much, and the drivers on the radio are complaining bitterly that they cannot see. This is unsafe, according to the drivers.

The first lap was completed behind the safety car. The second lap began behind the safety car and then they came back around again. At that point, the red flag was waived, and drivers were told to return to the pits until further instructions were given. It is too dangerous to race in these conditions. They had raced two laps.

What happened after the red flag at Spa 2021

For two hours, the drivers, fans, and teams waited. And for two hours, Mother Nature did not relent. The rain continued, and the fans in the stands got increasingly frustrated.

It’s now 6 pm. It’s getting darker and colder. The race is not built to happen at night. There simply is not enough track lighting for it to be done safely.

Then, at 6:17 pm, the FIA decided to send the drivers back onto the track behind the safety car. This would satisfy a few conditions. There would technically have been a race, as enough laps would have been completed. This would appease the broadcasters and avoid having to give full refunds to fans. They could also award half-points, as more than two laps were completed.

The drivers raced lap three behind the safety car, but midway through lap four, the race was suspended again. Drivers were sent back to the pits under red flag conditions.

The stewards had seen enough. The race was cancelled entirely just after 6:30 pm local time. Because the race had technically happened, drivers were given half points. Verstappen earned 12.5 points for the “win”, while Hamilton earned 7.5 points for “finishing” third.

The outcome of Spa 2021

The reality was that a race never happened. The drivers drove the track thrice behind the safety car. In total, they were out on track for just over 19 minutes.

The outrage was immense. Fans were beyond furious, having sat in the pouring rain all day, being told that the race may restart, then being told that the race was cancelled after 6:30 pm, and not being issued a refund. It was a farce.

Initially, Formula 1 did not issue any refunds, but the backlash online was immense. The topic carried on for weeks, with fans screaming for refunds for those forced to endure the race. Weeks later, Formula 1 issued full refunds or a voucher for the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix.

The good news, though, was that George Russell technically earned his first podium, although it will always have an asterisk next to it due to the outcome of the race. It was nice, though, that he has since earned multiple podiums.

On the other hand, the point differential had a big impact on the 2021 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship results. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton went into the final weekend tied in points, and the odd decision around the safety car was the difference-maker that gave Verstappen the win. Had this race not awarded any points, could it have changed the way the teams approached subsequent races?

The FIA realized the flaw in their points system. From 2022 onward, if a race does not have 25% or more completed, no points are awarded. From there to 75%, points are awarded on a sliding scale, with full points being awarded if a race is 75% or more completed.

What is the outcome of Spa 2021

While earlier in F1’s history, they may have opted to race in heavy rains, not anymore. The risk to drivers and teams is too great of a factor for F1 to continue racing in these conditions.

But you have to feel for those who came out from both Belgium and around the world to sit in the freezing rain to watch three laps behind a safety car. This will go down as one of the worst F1 races of all time, and an iconic part of the sport’s lore.