The bomb cracked in the Formula 1 world after Jos Verstappen has officially taken legal steps against the FIA. The reason: the brightly criticized decision to postpone the start of the Grand Prix of Belgium due to rainfall, a decision that, according to Verstappen, “clearly focused on the disadvantage of Max”.
According to Jos, Max Verstappen was in top form in the wet conditions and he had a significant advantage compared to his competitors at a direct start in the rain. Instead, the FIA decided to postpone the race, despite the fact that the rain was not extreme, and to wait until the weather got better – a choice that was deliberately according to Verstappen.
“Max is at his best in the rain. Everyone knows that,” said Jos in an emotional explanation. “The FIA literally waited for it to dry, so that others could come along again. That is not a sport. That is manipulation.”
He added:
“The FIA is a shame. They make no decisions based on safety, but on the basis of politics and preference. If there is no change, Max will leave this sport for good.”
Within a few hours of submitting the court case, the FIA came up with a formal statement. Instead of calming down the situation, this announcement threw oil on the fire. The FIA defended its decision by stating that “the safety of drivers always has priority” and that “the weather conditions were dangerous and a delay was justified”. But the statement did not report a investigation into bias or transparency, something that fans and analysts ask for.
The reactions were divided, but fierce. Thousands of fans announced via social media that they agreed with Jos Verstappen. According to them, the delay of the race was “no coincidence” and Max was “actively opposed”.
The criticism swells within the paddock. Some team members and former drivers expressed themselves about a possible “preferred policy” within the FIA. An anonymous engineer from Red Bull noted: “If Max can convert pole position into a dominant race in wet conditions, why is that frustrated? It feels like there are forces who want to brake him.”
The case could have major consequences for the trust in the competition management of Formula 1. Should it turn out that the FIA has indeed made strategic decisions that have been directed against one specific driver, would affect the foundation of the sport.
For now the ball is at the FIA. The pressure increases by the day. One thing is clear: this legal step by Jos Verstappen is not a simple emotional excess, but a powerful signal that the dissatisfaction is deep – and the future of Max in Formula 1 suddenly is on loose screws.
