Ecclestone sides with Hamilton over Belgian GP farce - 'F1 not Afghanistan'

Bernie Ecclestone has revealed he would have allowed the drivers to make their own call on whether to race in the rain-lashed Belgian Grand Prix, insisting F1 "is not Afghanistan".

The FIA brought a halt to events at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit almost four hours after the scheduled start time, with half points awarded after the required two laps for a classification were run, albeit behind the safety car.

After watching the events unfold, former F1 supremo Ecclestone told the Daily Mail: "I would have said at 3pm, when the race was due to start, let's try again at 4pm or 4.30pm.

"It doesn't look as if conditions will improve but I don't know. But regardless of what's happening it will start then.

"If you want to race, fine; if not, fine. Nobody could put a pistol to anyone's head. It was up to them.

"If I was at the back of the grid, I might decide it's not worth the risk because it's bloody dangerous out there.

"If I wanted to score points for the team and for myself, I might think I wanted to go ahead. People make their own minds up, and it is not Afghanistan.

"We have raced in worse conditions than that and not called off the race."

Post-race, seven-time F1 champion Hamilton declared what had unfolded "a farce", suggesting the two laps run to ensure were for commercial reasons, specifically stating that "money talks".

Ecclestone added: "I agree with Lewis. I don't always but on this he was right."