Formula 1 decided to call the Belgian Grand Prix a race and award half-points after the minimum of two laps had been completed. Some say, technically, there was only one lap.
According to Formula 1’s rules, a race result can be classified and half-points can be awarded if the drivers finished at least two laps. The points system for this situation is explained in the Sporting Regulations.
Article 6.5 states: “If a sprint qualifying session or race is suspended under Article 50, and cannot be resumed, no points will be awarded if the leader has completed two laps or less, half points will be awarded if the leader has completed more than two laps but less than 75% of the original sprint qualifying session or race distance and full points will be awarded if the leader has completed 75% or more of the original sprint qualifying session or race distance.”
At the Belgian Grand Prix the drivers did complete two full laps before the red flag came out on lap 3. However, in case of a race stoppage, the results are taken at the end of the penultimate lap.
Article 51.14 states: “If the sprint qualifying session or the race cannot be resumed the results will be taken at the end of the penultimate lap before the lap during which the signal to suspend the sprint qualifying session or the race was given.”
What this means is that since the race was stopped during lap 3, the results are taken at the end of lap 1. This would mean that the classification has been taken after only one lap was driven, instead of the required two.
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However, the FIA has interpreted Article 6.5 to mean that it is not important at the end of which lap the final result has been declared, but instead it is only important that the race leader has completed more than two laps.
Strictly technically speaking, Max Verstappen has crossed the control line that determines the lap count three times. Two times during the “racing” laps behind the Safety Car, and the third time in the final lap when he was driving towards the pits.
F1 race director Michael Masi later explained that the rules related to red flags and those regarding awarding points are not connected.
“There’s been three laps completed,” Masi said.
“The third lap was completed as the cars crossed the control line in the fast lane. And then the classification for points is taken on the penultimate lap before the lap the signal was given.
“So there’s effectively two separate points. One is what’s done to complete a race. One is what happens on the basis of championship points.”
So, not surprisingly, according to the FIA the results are legal.