Formula 1 continues to face challenges in managing races held under wet conditions, striving to balance race excitement with driver safety. World champion Max Verstappen has called for a more balanced approach to Max Verstappen wet race safety, emphasizing that the sport should avoid excessive caution that hinders thrilling competition while maintaining necessary precautions.
Verstappen Highlights Emerging Issues of Racing in Rain
During the 2025 season, Formula 1 experienced turbulent wet race moments, notably at the British Grand Prix where dangerous conditions sparked criticism. Following that, at the Spa-Francorchamps race, the sport adopted a much more conservative stance. Max Verstappen, however, felt the approach at Spa was overly cautious, limiting the potential for an engaging contest. Verstappen noted the need to find a middle ground that allows for exciting wet races without compromising safety.
He conceded that immediate improvements to wet weather racing might be difficult due to technical constraints, such as the use of larger tires and diffusers that produce significant water spray, reducing visibility on track. Reflecting on the British GP at Silverstone, Verstappen acknowledged the dangers but believed the sport managed that event on the edge of safety. Contrastingly, he viewed the Spa race as excessively cautious since the rainfall had nearly subsided when drivers finally hit the circuit.
It has a lot more spray than the older cars, for example. Also with these big tires, there’s a lot more water coming off them. So, yeah, I said it after Spa. Silverstone was probably on the edge, take it a little bit safer. But then [Spa] for me, was too safe.
Max Verstappen said, as quoted by RacingNews365
Verstappen’s perspective placed him in the minority during Spa-Francorchamps, where most drivers supported postponing the start due to weather concerns. Former 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg pointed out that Verstappen was the only driver eager to race promptly, accusing others of creating excuses to delay the action.
Challenges and Risks of Racing in Wet Conditions
Racing under wet conditions in Formula 1 remains especially perilous, primarily because the spray from cars severely restricts visibility. Drivers often rely on instinct while maintaining high speeds despite these limitations, making even minor mistakes potentially catastrophic. Over the years, multiple accidents have resulted from such conditions, emphasizing the importance of effective safety measures.
Verstappen Shares Insights on Avoiding Wet Weather Collisions
Max Verstappen stressed that when visibility is diminished due to heavy spray, drivers should ease off the throttle and increase the distance to the vehicle ahead. He explained that a common cause of large accidents in the wet stems from drivers maintaining full throttle despite not being able to see clearly, erroneously assuming others are doing the same.
When there’s a lot of spray and you can’t see a lot, you can also lift, and can also make a bigger gap if you’re not sure where you’re going. This is something that most of the time when you have big accidents, it’s when people are not lifting, when they can’t really see, and they keep it pinned basically, because they think the people in front of them or behind them do that as well. But, yeah, it’s complicated. Some drivers will say the opposite to what I say, and that’s fine. Everyone has their own opinion.
Max Verstappen explained
He acknowledged that opinions on how to handle wet race conditions vary widely among drivers, and that his suggestions are simply one perspective. Nonetheless, Verstappen advocates for greater caution combined with competitive racing, rather than unnecessarily halting progress or suspending events.
The Importance of a Balanced Approach to Wet Racing
Max Verstappen remains enthusiastic about racing on wet circuits, embracing the challenge it presents to driver skill and strategy. As a highly competitive driver, Verstappen seeks the chance to race under all conditions, but he also accepts that Formula 1 must carefully weigh safety factors to prevent accidents.
The ongoing debate over wet race safety in Formula 1 reveals the complexity of managing thrilling competition while protecting drivers. Verstappen’s comments shine a light on the need for policies that neither excessively delay races nor put participants at unjustified risk. Looking forward, the sport faces the task of refining its wet weather protocols, hoping to offer fans exciting, yet secure, races in unpredictable conditions as the season progresses.
