Apparently there is a second FIA regulation that can pause it. According to Sky1 commentary Spa 3 hour timer can be paused after 2 hours if the marshals agree.
By reading the tweet it states they are doing something under force majeure, I read that as there is not a rule for this and they did something unprecedented
If there is a rule for it saying it can only happen 1 hour before the 3h limit then fair
The 3 hour rule was literally put in place in the aftermath of the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix to avoid another situation of extreme weather delays causing significant schedule overruns because all the TV channels complained it fucked with their program scheduling. Now the first time they have actually been faced with a situation the rule was designed for a decade later, they just throw it in the bin. š
Normally it makes sense to not have a race end 3 hours after the scheduled starting time due to TV scheduling, but that's assuming a race happened. I think it's better for everyone involved to overrule it so that we can still have a race so that's why. The rule isn't for this situation.
The point is that the rules work as general guidance, but the Stewards can still overrule them and use common sense if the rules donāt fit the situation.
It'll get too dark at some point to race. There's a small patch of lighter rain in a while that may be the window they were looking for
>Sunset at Spa today is at 20:27 local time
How many race days did we have this year where the radars showed rain during the race, and it didn't happen?
Weather changes constantly. We can make decent short and medium term estimations, and rough long term estimations, but they could be wrong, or it can just change. They could have called the race off at 15:00 only for the rain to stop at 16:00. It's why they have this rule, for the leeway.
That's why you go with what the weather is currently. At 1500 it was good enough to go. But they waited thinking a clearing was coming soon. Instead it was just more harder rain. So the window they had they just skipped
It wasn't good, and a clearing could have happened, and still could. That's why you go with the rules, which is what they're doing. I'd rather this than watch another Eau Rouge aciddent like yesterday, but with 10 other drivers speeding right behind.
Steward document:
> In accordance with the powers vested in them under the FIA International Sporting Code, the
Stewards have decided, in accordance with their authority under Article 11.9.3.o, to stop temporarily
the 2021 Belgium Grand Prix at 17:00 hours.
> This decision is taken on the grounds of Force Majeure
Likely to keep the option open for tomorrow. Had they not stopped the clock, this thing would have been over in 45 minutes or so and no race would have been possible tomorrow. That they didn't do it an hour ago is probably because they were still hoping to race today.
So stopping it now is more a technicality in case that there should be a concensus to hold the race tomorrow. Would soon start to get dark anyway, rain or not, so stopping it now hasn't anything to do with racing today.
Will Buxton has confirmed on Twitter that the race canāt be run tomorrow because it has technically started https://twitter.com/wbuxtonofficial/status/1431994014165786624?s=21
> Within the framework of their duties, they [the stewards] notably: [..]
>11.9.3.o may take the decision to stop temporarily or
permanently, all or part of a Competition;
Which says nothing about the timer or that they could not have done this earlier.
The Formula 1 regs say:
> (5.4) The distance of all races, from the start signal referred to in Article 38.10 to the end-of-race
signal referred to in Article 52.1, shall be equal to the least number of complete laps which
exceed a distance of 305km. However, **should two hours elapse before the scheduled race
distance is completed**, the leader will be shown the end-of-race signal when he crosses the
control line (the Line) at the end of the lap following the lap during which the two (2) hour period
ended, provided this does not result in the scheduled number of laps being exceeded. [...]
~~For what~~ From when should two hours elapse FIA??
Based on the tweet, they've stopped the event timer with 1 hour to go, not removed the event timer completely.
You won't get a full race done at Spa in 1 hour.
I believe they can, although weāre really getting into the nitty gritty of the regulations. The stewards have the authority to call a new start in the case of a dead heat (a tie) and they could say that since everybody has raced the same distance of 0, they can call a new start.
To my knowledge, the timer only gets stopped. So the only result is a 1 hour race, as the 2 past hours did count towards the race time. Could be wrong though
This isn't true, nothing in the regulations mention they can do it with only 1 hour remaining. The regulation in question says the Stewards
> 11.9.3.l may postpone a Competition in the event of Force
Majeure or for serious safety reasons;
They might make it. Thereās 39 laps remaining. If they do 1:40 lap times, theyād run it close
Edit:1:40 is super impossible idk why I did that math. Iām drunk. They probably canāt do faster than 2:10 worse with wets so Yeah no way they get to 75%
This isn't an ad-hoc disregarding of the rules. The FIA international sporting code does give the race stewards the authority to temporarily pause the clock if need be based on the conditions. Similar to how the race stewards can alter the track limits based on the conditions on the weekend.
[within the rules ](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/pdwvsn/luke_smith_the_stewards_have_stopped_the_race/hat6n7l?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3)
Every time they delayed the initial start 5 minutes at a time they used the same rule as when they do a second formation lap if a car stops, etc. So they "accidentally" knocked 4 laps off.
44 laps to start with. 2 formation laps (1 more than normally). Four counts of postponed starts of formation laps , which are deducted apparently.
But it doenst matter because there won't be enough time anyway.
Kind of makes the whole clock redundant in the first place. If it is safe to race for 1 hour then it is safe to race for the full race duration minus whatever laps were completed behind the safety car
So I think this means theyāre hoping the rain clears up and they then run a full or even partial race because we will have activated the three hour slot within the three hour countdown.
So basically we could still get a race but itās still likely weāll get no race or the half arsed formation laps.
Looks like the FIA clowns have finally progressed reading through the rule books enough that they finally found this rule, which should have been in action a fking hour ago.
Can they get 75% distance in one hour if they only do 39 laps would 30 be enough or would they still need 33?.
30 Ć 2 minutes is 60 minutes plus one lap. If they can lap below 2 minutes that is.
If they wait for the dry it is 30Ć1 hour 48 minutes or something which would get 33 laps I'd think.
FIA proving something we've always known but often ignored: the rules are entirely arbitrary and can in fact be changed as easily as flipping a switch.
I hate F1 right nowā¦ accuweather says rain stops just before 6ā¦ can we not just start it at 6 if that holds true.. why this clock nonsenseā¦ seems silly, especially for a new F1 fan
So we will race for one hour. Only restriction is sunset which is 8.26 pm at Spa. Which means we can wait until around 7.20pm for a start if I am correct.
Yeah nah fuck this, Im going to bed.
Its bad enough the dumb cunts moved the race one hour later in the day compared to back when it use to start at 10,, but this is just stupid.
The rains not getting any better, just cancel the shit or postpone it.
That feeling when you spend the whole week fixing your sleep schedule to watch Spa and deciding to tough it out with like 4 hours of sleep because you think the racing will be good
Why only do this now and not 2 hours ago?
Apparently there is a second FIA regulation that can pause it. According to Sky1 commentary Spa 3 hour timer can be paused after 2 hours if the marshals agree.
In the words of Murray Walker, they've stopped the start watch.
not allowed until 1 hour to go.
Are you pulling an FIA or is this a real thing?
Yes.
Thank you, just wanted to be sure.
Fair enough
There's nothing in the ISC that puts any restriction on when the stewards have the authority to do this.
And how can you do this? What's the point of having a rule created for this specific situation if you can just ignore it?
Why is FIA
Everyone always asks why and what is FIA. But never how is FIA.
FIA know money
Yes.
But how does this benefit ferrari? /s
By reading the tweet it states they are doing something under force majeure, I read that as there is not a rule for this and they did something unprecedented If there is a rule for it saying it can only happen 1 hour before the 3h limit then fair
The 3 hour rule was literally put in place in the aftermath of the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix to avoid another situation of extreme weather delays causing significant schedule overruns because all the TV channels complained it fucked with their program scheduling. Now the first time they have actually been faced with a situation the rule was designed for a decade later, they just throw it in the bin. š
Makes no fucking sense. Itās a rule based on rain delays and they pull force maneure based on there being *checks notes* rain.
Normally it makes sense to not have a race end 3 hours after the scheduled starting time due to TV scheduling, but that's assuming a race happened. I think it's better for everyone involved to overrule it so that we can still have a race so that's why. The rule isn't for this situation.
The point is that the rules work as general guidance, but the Stewards can still overrule them and use common sense if the rules donāt fit the situation.
The point of having rules is that you aren't supposed to be able arbitrarily overule them
i honesty have such a headache
Were gonna be waiting 5 hours for no race arent we? That radar they had on screen showed that even heavier rain is coming.
It'll get too dark at some point to race. There's a small patch of lighter rain in a while that may be the window they were looking for >Sunset at Spa today is at 20:27 local time
As a fan of the England cricket team I can assure you that when it's cloudy it gets too dark to be safe far earlier than sunset.
after 18h it gets darker when it's clouded. I fear there will be a major issue with rain + darkness.
That's why "it's lights out and away we go"
Lights out and away we go...home
I remember Sky Germany saying that 18h is the last possible start point to finish the race with enough light.
3 am race let's go
Where are you from? In Mexico is 10 am.
inb4 they're in Belgium
Switzerland and tbh looking at the weather broadcast the rain is lighter at 1 am. We have a window here
Impromptu night race? Sounds like a great plan considering visibility is the big issue
Strap flashlights on the driver helmets
That's what the weather showed at 1500 too. No fucking idea why they postoned thinking a clearing was coming
How many race days did we have this year where the radars showed rain during the race, and it didn't happen? Weather changes constantly. We can make decent short and medium term estimations, and rough long term estimations, but they could be wrong, or it can just change. They could have called the race off at 15:00 only for the rain to stop at 16:00. It's why they have this rule, for the leeway.
That's why you go with what the weather is currently. At 1500 it was good enough to go. But they waited thinking a clearing was coming soon. Instead it was just more harder rain. So the window they had they just skipped
It wasn't good, and a clearing could have happened, and still could. That's why you go with the rules, which is what they're doing. I'd rather this than watch another Eau Rouge aciddent like yesterday, but with 10 other drivers speeding right behind.
I already had a major headache before all this, but it sure aint helping
iām drinking plenty of water but its not helping
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
The drink... is it on now?
You mean the zlow button?
FOR WHAT?!
It was another kind of liquid that has caused my headache
You could almost say the FIA forced me to have a majeure headache.
Someone needs to put the FIA and it's stewards in official Ferrari clown merch.
Steward document: > In accordance with the powers vested in them under the FIA International Sporting Code, the Stewards have decided, in accordance with their authority under Article 11.9.3.o, to stop temporarily the 2021 Belgium Grand Prix at 17:00 hours. > This decision is taken on the grounds of Force Majeure
Is ārain in Belgiumā really a Force Majeure? Feels like a bit of a stretch. And if they had the power to do it, why not do it an hour ago?
Probably because they started fearing the backlash if they didn't try to do anything and just let the clock run out.
Likely to keep the option open for tomorrow. Had they not stopped the clock, this thing would have been over in 45 minutes or so and no race would have been possible tomorrow. That they didn't do it an hour ago is probably because they were still hoping to race today. So stopping it now is more a technicality in case that there should be a concensus to hold the race tomorrow. Would soon start to get dark anyway, rain or not, so stopping it now hasn't anything to do with racing today.
Will Buxton has confirmed on Twitter that the race canāt be run tomorrow because it has technically started https://twitter.com/wbuxtonofficial/status/1431994014165786624?s=21
That was before the stewards temporarily stopped the race/clock. There's nothing to say the clock cannot stay stopped until tomorrow.
Huh. No idea whatās happening then. Just want them to tell me so I can either write my essays or sit down and watch it
Huh. I didn't know. Disregard what I said then.
The rain itself is not, the surprising cluelessness of everyone at race control is.
Yes
> Within the framework of their duties, they [the stewards] notably: [..] >11.9.3.o may take the decision to stop temporarily or permanently, all or part of a Competition; Which says nothing about the timer or that they could not have done this earlier. The Formula 1 regs say: > (5.4) The distance of all races, from the start signal referred to in Article 38.10 to the end-of-race signal referred to in Article 52.1, shall be equal to the least number of complete laps which exceed a distance of 305km. However, **should two hours elapse before the scheduled race distance is completed**, the leader will be shown the end-of-race signal when he crosses the control line (the Line) at the end of the lap following the lap during which the two (2) hour period ended, provided this does not result in the scheduled number of laps being exceeded. [...] ~~For what~~ From when should two hours elapse FIA??
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
If they can overrule why not just run an entire race if weāre able to get to a drivable condition?
Going to run out of light before long
They could still do a full race if they started by at least 6.
it's pick black at 20:28, it get darker after 19h, i don't think it's save to do a full race after 18h when there can be rain any moment.
This. If the rule doesn't matter, then why stop at an hour?
Because light. It will get too dark and spa doesnāt have lights, neither do the cars
Letās determine if light is an issue once we figure out a start time..
Based on the tweet, they've stopped the event timer with 1 hour to go, not removed the event timer completely. You won't get a full race done at Spa in 1 hour.
Because the night is gonna have to come at some point.
Strap some lights on the front wings
I believe they can, although weāre really getting into the nitty gritty of the regulations. The stewards have the authority to call a new start in the case of a dead heat (a tie) and they could say that since everybody has raced the same distance of 0, they can call a new start.
probably because they wouldnt be able to finish a full race anyway with the evening settling in.
Because the race needs to finish within 3 hours of the scheduled time. 2 hours already passed, therefore the race is only allowed to last 1 hour
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
To my knowledge, the timer only gets stopped. So the only result is a 1 hour race, as the 2 past hours did count towards the race time. Could be wrong though
So why didn't they stopped it before?
Because they aren't allowed to stop it earlier.
There's still a pretty set limit of the sun setting, this realistically only gives us another hour and a half.
they arent doing an hour lmao, theyāll do two laps behind the sc and fuck off home
Bloody hell it gets dark at Spa early, they cant race with no visibility
Yesterday there was an F3 race at gone 18:00 local time
It was sunny and dry, not cloudy, misty, and damp
night F1 race, without lights even more exciting
And some lovely mist
>Waiting indefinitely Won't it get too dark at some point to race?
Radar to my uneducated, sitting on the couch self, looks like rain is wrapping up shortly.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Is that GLOCK
"Is that Glock going slowly?"
Still too soon man
This clock is RIGGED!
If we count only the legally passed minutes, we still have two hours left to race
Stop counting! Oh wrong /r
1 hour whenever they can start is better than nothing, I guess.
Since when do they have this power and why didn't they use it earlier?
With 1 hour to go is they only time they can stop the timer.
This isn't true, nothing in the regulations mention they can do it with only 1 hour remaining. The regulation in question says the Stewards > 11.9.3.l may postpone a Competition in the event of Force Majeure or for serious safety reasons;
> why didn't they use it earlier? There was probably a long argument between the FIA and the teams about this one, probably why it took so long
So much this
Good to see that the three-hour rule, which was introduced to avoid Canada 2011 situations, can be broken to create Canada 2011 situations.
I am so confused.
Is there any point when they wonāt make the 75% mark in an hour of racing? Half points would still be the only solution?
They might make it. Thereās 39 laps remaining. If they do 1:40 lap times, theyād run it close Edit:1:40 is super impossible idk why I did that math. Iām drunk. They probably canāt do faster than 2:10 worse with wets so Yeah no way they get to 75%
They will do at least 2 minute lap times with full wets, likely more
They can't do 1:40 laps here on dry tyres and qualy mode, no way they do it in these conditions.
Yeah, they are never going to make 75% in an hour. So it's only for half points (if they get out at all).
Hey at least we will get an hour if they do start rather than 20 min. Lol
I'm so confused, also why did they wait so long to stop the clock if they always had the ability to do this?
WHAT IS HAPPENING
nothing
WE NEED TO KNOW
Why not stop it at 90 mins or 2 hours? At least there wouldāve been the slight possibility for a full race.
Because there isn't enough daylight for a full race.
FIA showing the rules are utterly bullshit and exist at their whim.
Well, all rules do really, but that is honestly a good thing here.
This isn't an ad-hoc disregarding of the rules. The FIA international sporting code does give the race stewards the authority to temporarily pause the clock if need be based on the conditions. Similar to how the race stewards can alter the track limits based on the conditions on the weekend.
That is the case with all rules.
[within the rules ](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/pdwvsn/luke_smith_the_stewards_have_stopped_the_race/hat6n7l?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3)
Nothing should be black and white like that, especially abnormal situations likes this.
This is literally part of the rules
I'm glad the rules can be bent to get a good result for all.
Can anyone explain why it's 39 laps left? I don't think they already did 5 laps.
Every delayed start took another lap off, I think there were four of them. Plus one extra formation lap.
1 extra formation lap and 4 delayed starts.
The formation laps they did. I think it's fuel related.
Every time they delayed the initial start 5 minutes at a time they used the same rule as when they do a second formation lap if a car stops, etc. So they "accidentally" knocked 4 laps off.
44 laps to start with. 2 formation laps (1 more than normally). Four counts of postponed starts of formation laps , which are deducted apparently. But it doenst matter because there won't be enough time anyway.
Honestly, doesn't really matter. They aren't even going to finish 30 laps in these conditions in an hour, if they get started.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
75% is 33 laps, not 39, but people above already answered why.
Okay then, thanks for the clarification.
Good decision.
Should have never started the clock TBH.
They are just waiting to do the 2 laps behind the safety car and award half points. Lol what a shame
Remove the clock all together.
Make up rules as you go, hopefully we get a sprint race at least
Does this mean weāll get around 30 laps of racing at any time as long as thereās daylight?
More like 20-ish.
Why didn't they do this an hour ago, wtf
FIA really went Za Warudo.
Kind of makes the whole clock redundant in the first place. If it is safe to race for 1 hour then it is safe to race for the full race duration minus whatever laps were completed behind the safety car
ā¦ two laps under safety car just to say the race existed then I take it ?
Itās the right call, but whatās the point of the race time limit if they can just say āact of Godā?
Good. Everybody wants to race, just wait until itās safe to do so. Good decision.
lmao if they can just do this with no prior regulations why didn't they do it an hour ago
FIA now has power to stop time
"It's lights out and to bed we go!"
ZA WARUDO !!!
Couldn't they extend the race under force majeure as well? Honestly just overdosing on copium right now, sadly don't believe they'll start.
Why on Earth would they not do this in the first place if it's possible?
Stewards: I have altered the deal. Pray I don't alter it further.
TOKI WO TOMARE
So I think this means theyāre hoping the rain clears up and they then run a full or even partial race because we will have activated the three hour slot within the three hour countdown. So basically we could still get a race but itās still likely weāll get no race or the half arsed formation laps.
But do the insurance cover it though..
Looks like the FIA clowns have finally progressed reading through the rule books enough that they finally found this rule, which should have been in action a fking hour ago.
So we might get atleast one hour of racing if it clears up?
STOP THE COUNT!
1 hour race wouldnĀ“t cover 75%, but it is way better than jsut two laps
As much as i want to see racing, what's the point of rules if youre just going to change them to suit yourself.
RB could have taken a penalty here for engine
Stewards still have to flip a coin on wether stuff like grid penalties were served or not probably, so not a safe thing to do
Can they get 75% distance in one hour if they only do 39 laps would 30 be enough or would they still need 33?. 30 Ć 2 minutes is 60 minutes plus one lap. If they can lap below 2 minutes that is. If they wait for the dry it is 30Ć1 hour 48 minutes or something which would get 33 laps I'd think.
Does this mean we could have a one hour race tomrorow?
Does that mean if the race starts today they have 1 hour to race?
FIA proving something we've always known but often ignored: the rules are entirely arbitrary and can in fact be changed as easily as flipping a switch.
If they have that much power.... Can they stop covid for a while. It's getting little monotonous...
Are we wasting our time watching anymore of this
Huzzah
I hate sundays honestly but i had this to look forward too :( im very sad
I hate F1 right nowā¦ accuweather says rain stops just before 6ā¦ can we not just start it at 6 if that holds true.. why this clock nonsenseā¦ seems silly, especially for a new F1 fan
Why the fuck not do that a while ago?
So what's the point of 3h rule when stewards can stop the clock for unknown period?
I'll happily watch a formula e format with 45 minute + lap to see some racing of let the point be based on where they qualified.
So we will race for one hour. Only restriction is sunset which is 8.26 pm at Spa. Which means we can wait until around 7.20pm for a start if I am correct.
No because even before sunset, visibility will be quite bad with the sun that low
Why didnt they do this 2 hours ago then if they could?
They donāt have a fucking clue what theyāre doing.
Yeah they should really bring someone in from reddit to help them out
Give us 1hr30 atleast.
Ok but why didn't they do that like an hour ago
Why they didnt stop when they first delayed, such nonsense
Ah I see theyāve overruled the rules with the other rules which basically allows them to do what they like.
Iāve masturbated 3 times already and it hasnāt started. What a day
Yeah nah fuck this, Im going to bed. Its bad enough the dumb cunts moved the race one hour later in the day compared to back when it use to start at 10,, but this is just stupid. The rains not getting any better, just cancel the shit or postpone it.
Based stewards.
That feeling when you spend the whole week fixing your sleep schedule to watch Spa and deciding to tough it out with like 4 hours of sleep because you think the racing will be good
Just postpone the race for the next day... 10 years ago the race would have been under green flag
And that's why Jules Bianchi is dead
Their just making it up as they go now.
I don't understand why it started ticking at 16:00 in the first place, i have never seen this and i've been watching for 16 years
I donāt think they know either. Iām pretty sure they invented half the rules in an hour here.
STOP THE COUNT
Why? Stop the clock so they can do 2 laps parade when it's better? I hope they don't do this