Aston Martin: When track action was lacking, fans shone brightly

The 70,000 or so spectators allowed into the venue, were there from the early hours of the day until the evening with the constant company of rain which ultimately ruined everyone's day.

A two-lap procession at the end of a four hour or so delay brought the 'Grand Prix' to an end, the field having done enough laps to warrant half-points despite not racing at all.

'Farce' springs to mind and heartache for F1 fans, especially the ones that sat through the Ardennes soup.

Aston Martin took note and released the following statement on Monday:

Safety must always take precedent in Formula One, and sadly it meant Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team and our rivals could not put on the Belgian Grand Prix the fans deserved.

When track action was lacking, the fans shone brightly, and it did not go unnoticed. We truly appreciate your love for Formula One.

From the bottom of Eau Rouge, past the Kemmel Straight and ending at the Bus Stop chicane, we felt your support in every lap across the weekend.

It was humbling to see fans waiting for hours in the hope of watching a full Grand Prix around the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, despite the cold and constant downpour.

Our drivers signalled their thanks from the pitlane, and, alongside the FIA, Formula One and the teams, we were determined to find a way to put on the race.

Formula One and the FIA worked tirelessly to find a window in which the race could take place after the first formation lap led to a delay due to worsening conditions.

Hours of further delays followed before the race began and ended behind the Safety Car.

CEO & Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer apologised to the fans and explained why the race could not continue: "On behalf of everyone at Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, I want to say how sorry I am for the fans, who braved the weather in the hope of watching an exciting 44-lap race on the magnificent Spa-Francorchamps circuit but ended up enduring a damp squib – literally.

"However, the safety of the drivers, marshals, photographers and camera operators is, of course, paramount, and the FIA had no choice other than to make the difficult decision they did," added Szafnauer.