By JEROME PUGMIRE
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — The rain-soaked Belgian Grand Prix was suspended for a second time on Sunday barely 10 minutes after restarting under a safety car about three hours after its scheduled start time.
The restarted race was shortened to one hour with half the normal amount of points to be awarded.
Fans cheered loudly from the stands and the hills around the track when it was announced the race would start again at 6:17 p.m. local time (1617 GMT) — 3 hours, 17 minutes after it normally would have.
But after just 10 minutes of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen rolling cautiously behind the safety car it was suspended for a second time at just before 6:30 p.m.
The first time was shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time following a formation lap.
The 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) Spa-Francorchamps circuit was totally drenched. Soaked fans huddled under large umbrellas on muddy banks as they waited for the worst of the rain to pass. The thick clouds and mist hanging over the Ardennes forest also gave the circuit a daunting look and made for poor visibility.
When the drivers embarked on their formation laps the first time around, several complained.
“I really can’t see anything,” said Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
The decision to suspend the start was made a few moments later.
“It’s wet, but I think it’s fine to race,” said Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who started from pole position.
His teammate Sergio Perez appeared to be out of the race before it even started, sliding off the track during the warmup lap at around 2:30 p.m. and damaging his front suspension.
Red Bull asked race control if Perez could start the race if they repaired his car in time. The FIA said it was considering the request and later announced Perez would be allowed to start from the pit lane.
At 5 p.m. a further delay was announced.
McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo entertained the fans waiting in the grandstand from the pit lane. In his 200th F1 race, the popular Australian made extravagant hand gestures and waved to them as they chanted “Daniel, Daniel.”
“I obviously feel for them,” Ricciardo said. “We’re in it together but circumstances are out of our control.”
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports