The Belgian Grand Prix of 2025 once again revealed Formula 1’s long-standing weaknesses when it comes to wet weather racing – The race at Spa-Francorchamps was delayed for 80 minutes due to dangerously poor visibility following heavy rain on the morning of 3 August. This was not the first time the Ardennes circuit has been at the centre of such debate, but the latest postponement has reignited criticism about the sport’s inability to find an effective solution.
Stephen Knowles, Red Bull’s sporting director, was candid in his assessment when speaking on the podcast The Inside Track. He described the situation as “a real problem” with no quick fix in sight. “The visibility problems right now are due to the fact that these cars are kicking up a lot of water,” Knowles explained.
“They’re quite large and generate a lot of downforce through the underbody, which sucks all the water upwards.” The FIA has spent years attempting to address this issue, but with limited success, Formula 1 remains stuck at what Knowles calls “square one.”
The FIA’s failed fixes
The governing body has already tried multiple concepts to mitigate spray. One of the most high-profile projects was the introduction of experimental wheel covers, designed to divert water away from the tyres. Nikolas Tombazis, head of the FIA’s single-seater division, admitted to Motorsport.com Global that the tests had failed to yield significant progress. “We knew there were two main causes of the spray cloud: water that the diffuser absorbs from the ground and water from the wheels,” he explained.
While wheel covers demonstrated a modest effect, Tombazis conceded that the improvement was far from sufficient. “They have a certain effect, but it’s not enough to call it a solution. So we’re back to square one.”
This leaves the FIA in an unenviable position: aware of the dangers but unable to implement meaningful change under the current regulations.
The dangers of blind racing
The core of the issue is visibility. With spray clouds hanging in the air, drivers can barely see the car in front, let alone avoid an accident. A spin from a leading car can instantly escalate into a multi-car collision, with trailing drivers effectively driving blind. As Knowles himself put it, “I don’t envy the race director in a situation like this. Maybe we could have started a little earlier, but it wouldn’t have been a completely different story.”
The risks are heightened by Spa’s history. The track has long been regarded as one of the most challenging circuits in the world, with its undulating layout and narrow, high-speed sections.
Rain only adds to the danger. The fatal accidents of Anthoine Hubert in 2019, albeit in dry conditions, and Dilano van’t Hoff in 2023 during a rain-soaked Formula Regional race, remain painful reminders of how quickly events can spiral out of control at Spa. The FIA is understandably cautious when asked to restart races in treacherous conditions, even if the delays frustrate drivers and fans alike.
Driver reactions divided
Opinions in the paddock were split following the 80-minute delay. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were among those who criticised the cautious approach, suggesting that the race could have started earlier. By contrast, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc defended the decision, stressing that the race director must prioritise safety above all else.
This division is not new. Drivers have long debated where the line between spectacle and safety should be drawn. Fans often crave the drama of a wet-weather lottery, but for those behind the wheel, the risk of aquaplaning or crashing unseen into a spray cloud is ever-present.
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Why 2026 may offer hope
Any significant improvement may not arrive until 2026, when Formula 1 introduces a major new set of technical regulations. These will see smaller diffusers, less reliance on ground effect, and narrower tyres. Each of these changes should theoretically reduce the amount of spray generated. However, whether the improvement will be dramatic enough to restore confidence remains to be seen.
For now, Formula 1 remains in a holding pattern, relying on cautious race management and lengthy delays whenever heavy rain strikes. The Belgian Grand Prix once again laid bare the problem, and the FIA’s admission that it has no workable solution suggests the jury will continue to see similar scenarios in the coming years.
Wet-weather chaos through history
Rain has always had the potential to create some of Formula 1’s most iconic moments, as well as some of its most controversial. Fans often look back fondly on chaotic wet races where skill and instinct trumped outright speed.
The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix is remembered for its abrupt end, with torrential downpours forcing a red flag after just 33 laps. Jenson Button was declared the winner but only half points were awarded, as the race had not reached the required distance.
Two years later, the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix set the record as the longest Formula 1 race in history, lasting four hours and four minutes. Heavy rain led to a two-hour suspension, multiple safety cars and pit stops, and an astonishing late comeback from Button, who snatched victory on the very last lap from Sebastian Vettel.
Other races remain etched into the collective memory of fans: the 2007 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, where Markus Winkelhock briefly led in a Spyker after starting on wet tyres; the 2021 Russian Grand Prix, where Hamilton pounced on Lando Norris’s misfortune in changeable conditions; and the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix, which saw confusion over points allocation alongside a dangerous incident involving Pierre Gasly and a recovery vehicle.
But perhaps no race sums up the sport’s wet weather dilemma more than the infamous 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. With visibility near zero, the race consisted of just three laps behind the Safety Car, the bare minimum required to classify it as a Grand Prix. Verstappen was declared the winner, but the event drew widespread ridicule and frustration from fans. It remains the only Formula 1 World Championship race with no officially recognised fastest lap.
Back where we started
The conclusion after Spa 2025 is sobering. Despite years of research, investment and trial projects, Formula 1 has failed to find a viable way to combat the dangers of spray. The FIA openly admits it has no solution, and the sport’s hopes now rest on the technical reset of 2026. Until then, wet races will remain unpredictable in more ways than one, dictated not only by driver skill and strategy but by the patience of race control and the weather in the skies above.
The Judge must now hand this over to the jury. Should Formula 1 embrace longer delays and err on the side of safety, or should the sport accept the risks that come with racing in the rain?
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Yet the Italian Grand Prix is one of the finest F1 spectacles around, with its high speed circuit configuration and generally baking European summer weather conditions, a day of racing in the spectacular woodland setting is just the tonic before school returns the following week.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
The art and skill in motor racing is being able to drive in all conditions not just dry otherwise why have wet weather tyres if they are never going to be used. Drivers of old would po po these namb pamby drivers who are paid massive amounts of money but won’t drive in dangerous conditions. Wake motor racing is DANGEROUS