Sainz: Spa circuit’s ‘dark past’ justified FIA’s cautious rain protocol

Carlos Sainz has thrown his support behind the FIA's much-criticized cautious handling of the rain-affected Belgian Grand Prix, saying that the governing body was right to take a conservative approach given Spa-Francorchamps’ “very dark past.”

The race was delayed by over 80 minutes due to persistent rain showers and poor visibility, with four laps completed behind the safety car before proper racing began. The long wait sparked frustration from fans and criticism from several drivers, including Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

But Sainz revealed that teams and drivers had already been made aware of the FIA’s intentions on the Thursday before the race.

“They warned us on Thursday”

"I always thought Formula 1 should almost like, if possible, innovate and try something different," Sainz told reporters.

"And I think there's certain kind of tarmacs that if you would put them [the cars] on a straight line, there would be no spray, and they exist. But most circuits don't have it. In the end, the biggest problem for us is visibility, it's what keeps us from racing."

The Williams driver acknowledged the unique sensitivity surrounding the Spa circuit, which has seen multiple tragic incidents in recent years, including the deaths of Anthoine Hubert in 2019 and Dilano van 't Hoff in 2023.

"I think Spa is a very particular case where there's been a very dark past at this track, and the FIA consciously took a very conservative approach, and they warned us on Thursday that they would take a very conservative approach."

• Read also: Brundle questions future of ‘classic rainy’ F1 races after Spa delays

Sainz added that clearer communication with fans could have helped explain the FIA’s decision-making and reduced public frustration.

"Maybe we should have done a better job in communicating that, or they should have communicated to the fans, to the world, we're going to play it very easy because of its dark past, and this is what happened in the past and why we're going to play it safe on Sunday,” he explained. .

“Just for everyone, maybe to have a bit more awareness."

“You need to put yourself in their shoes”

Although Sainz admitted the delay and the drawn-out safety car period were “too much,” he also acknowledged the enormous responsibility race control carries when deciding whether conditions are safe.

"But yeah, I do think we could have, obviously, raced a bit earlier than what we did, and got going a bit earlier after the red flag, and the safety car could have lasted a bit less," he said.

"But you also need to put yourself in the shoes of the people that press the button to say, 'Go', and then there's a massive accident because of a lack of visibility, and something fatal could happen.

"They are, in the end, responsible for that situation to occur, if you press the button. So I understand also the conservative approach they took, even though, as a racing driver, I wish we could have raced a bit earlier."

While Sainz believes better communication with fans could have mitigated criticism, his remarks reflect an understanding of the FIA’s prioritization of driver safety in challenging conditions at Spa-Francorchamps.

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