Lewis Hamilton Demands Refund for Fans After 'Farcical' Staging of Belgian Grand Prix

(Photo : Antonin Vincent - Pool/Getty Images) SPA, BELGIUM - Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing, second placed George Russell of Great Britain and Williams and third placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP talk in the press conference after the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 29, 2021 in Spa, Belgium.

Lewis Hamilton didn't hold back in his criticism of the staging of the Belgian Grand Prix. He said that fans should get their hard-earned money back after waiting hours in the cold and wet without even witnessing a competitive lap in the shortest race in the history of Formula One.

Organizers formally abandoned the wet race at the famous Spa-Francorchamps track after the 20-man field driving behind the safety car completed two laps necessary for the awarding of half-points.

Hamilton blasts Formula 1 organizers for farcical race

That didn't go well with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who had plenty to say after the podium ceremonies. He branded the decision to start the race in harsh conditions a cash-grabbing scheme by Formula One, saying, "Money talks and the two laps to start the race is all a money scenario." Hamilton added that since everyone got their money, fans should get theirs back too since they didn't get to see what they paid for.

Hamilton is a known master of the wet tracks, but even he admitted that the conditions at Spa were just impossible for racing. He said that the weather at Spa was something else and that "You really couldn't see the car ahead and there was aquaplaning."

Hamilton paid tribute to the fans for staying out in the rain and still providing the energy and atmosphere at Spa, but they were robbed of a race and deserved their money back.

Hamilton won't let the issue die down as he again vented on Instagram hours later, saying, "Today was a farce and the only people to lose out are the fans who have paid good money to watch us race."

F1 and FIA dispute Hamilton's claims

Formula 1 and the sport's governing body, FIA, were quick to reject Hamilton's claims saying that money was not a factor in their decision to go ahead with the very short race. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said those things are not connected, and commercial discussions behind the scenes are false.

Race director Michael Masi explained that the cars were sent out the final time at Spa "to see what the conditions were like." That didn't sit well with Hamilton, who likened the situation in Belgium to what they experienced in Melbourne last year when Formula 1 decided to fly out to Australia despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hamilton famously said before that race was canceled that "Cash is king." Hamilton is adamant that fans should get their money back despite the race being made official by their late two-lap stint behind the safety car, saying that F1 "have better values than that as a sport."

Hamilton finished third in the race and remained on top of the Driver's Championship with 202.5 points, three points ahead of Belgian Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen.