Max Verstappen Slams FIA Over Belgian GP Delay as McLaren and Red Bull Juniors Hit with Shock Formula 2 Disqualifications

The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix on July 27 at Spa-Francorchamps delivered a dramatic weekend, with Max Verstappen publicly criticizing the FIA’s cautious race delay due to rain, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri clinched victory over teammate Lando Norris in a thrilling wet-dry race. Adding to the chaos, Formula 2’s feature race saw McLaren junior Alex Dunne and Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad stripped of their 1-2 finish due to technical infringements, shaking up the championship. Verstappen’s outspoken comments, combined with the juniors’ disqualifications and McLaren’s dominant 1-2, underscored a weekend of controversy and high stakes, setting the stage for a tense championship battle as Formula 1 heads into the summer break.

The Belgian GP, marred by heavy rain, sparked debate when the FIA delayed the start due to visibility concerns behind the safety car, opting for a rolling start over a standing one. Verstappen, starting third, was vocal in his frustration, telling RacingNews365, “They should’ve started at 3:00 straight away; it wasn’t even raining.” He argued that a few laps behind the safety car would have cleared the track, criticizing the FIA’s caution as excessive compared to Silverstone’s wet conditions, per. The rolling start favored McLaren’s Norris, on pole, but teammate Piastri seized the lead with a bold move at Turn 1. Piastri’s superior exit and slipstream down the Kemmel Straight allowed him to overtake Norris, who struggled with wheelspin, per Sky Sports F1. Piastri’s early pit stop for medium tires, contrasted with Norris’ hards, gave him an 8-second lead, though Norris closed the gap late with better tire life. Mistakes at Pouhon and lock-ups at Turn 1 cost Norris the win, finishing 1.2 seconds behind Piastri, who told Sky Sports F1, “I lifted just a bit less than Lando and made it stick.

Verstappen, finishing third, maximized Red Bull’s upgrades despite their 172-point constructors’ deficit to McLaren’s 460 points, per Motorsport.com. His comments reflected broader sentiment on X, with @autosport quoting him calling the FIA’s delay “silly” and overly cautious. The Dutchman, sitting third in the drivers’ standings, 69 points behind leader Piastri, avoided further penalty points, a relief given his 9-point tally, three shy of a race ban, per. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fourth, while teammate Lewis Hamilton, starting 18th after a rear axle lock-up in Sprint Qualifying, fought to seventh, highlighting Ferrari’s inconsistent upgrade performance, per RacingNews365.

In Formula 2, the feature race before the Grand Prix delivered a stunning twist. McLaren junior Alex Dunne, initially celebrated for his first F2 win, was hit with a 10-second post-race penalty for failing to engage the mandatory start setup procedure, breaching Article 1.6.1 of the F2 technical regulations, per the YouTube transcript. This dropped him from first, handing the win to Roman Stanek. Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad, who finished second, was disqualified entirely due to all four tires falling below the minimum wet tire pressures (16.0 PSI front, 14.0 PSI rear), per @OmiComms on X. The double disqualification, reported by @JunaidSamodien_, cost Dunne the F2 points lead and Lindblad a podium, shaking up the championship and drawing criticism for both teams’ technical oversights. Fans on X, like @Racingnews365c, labeled it an “utter disaster” for McLaren’s junior program.

McLaren’s 1-2 finish, their second of 2025 after Austria, solidified their constructors’ dominance, but the looming threat of engine penalties for Piastri and Norris, both at their component limits, adds pressure for the season’s second half, per GPFans. Red Bull, reeling from the loss of Christian Horner and Adrian Newey, relies heavily on Verstappen, with teammate Yuki Tsunoda contributing only seven points, per RacingNews365. The FIA’s cautious approach, while prioritizing safety, drew scrutiny beyond Verstappen, with posts on X like @F1_Newsletter questioning if the delay compromised racing spectacle. As the summer break looms, McLaren’s ascendancy, Verstappen’s tightrope walk with penalty points, and the juniors’ disqualifications highlight the high stakes. The Belgian GP, broadcast on Sky Sports F1, showcased Spa’s unpredictability, and with Monza next, the championship fight remains wide open, promising more drama in 2025.