Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was declared the winner o𝓰f a race that lasted just two laps behin🐻d the Safety Car after over three hours of delays and was red-flagged twice due to heavy rain and poor visibility.

Speaking in parc ferme after finishing third behind Verstappen and George Russell, seven-time world champion Hﷺamilton praised fans who stayed put in💞 their thousands all day despite the awful weather.

“I feel really sorry for the fans today,” Hamil﷽ton said.

“Obviously, it’s no one’s fault with the weather but the fans have been incredible today, just to stick with us this whole time and hold out for a potential racﷺe.

“They knew when they sent us out there that the track wasn't any better. It was just to do 🎉two laps behind the Safety Car, which is the minimum requirement.

“I really hope the fans 🍎get their money bacꦬk today.”

In the media pen, Hamilton added: “The fans s🃏tayed out in the rain, they still had 𒀰energy and created the atmosphere.

“They were rob🅠bed of a race today andꦬ I think they deserve their money back.

“Money tal𝔍ks, the two laps to start the race was all a money scenario. So everyone gets their money and I think the fans should get theirs back too because they didn’t get to come and see what they paid for.

"That wasn't a race today."

Hamilton - ෴who has seen his championship over Verstappen lead cut to three points with half-points awarded - agreed the conditions were too danger﷽ous to drive in but was disappointed not to have a proper race.

“It was tough,” he explained. “Couldn’t really see, five metres in front of you, the car disa🍸ppears on the straights. To even know where the flashing light, you c꧒ouldn’t even go flat-out because you didn’t know where they were.

“It’s a shame because I wanted to race and it could’ve been a good race if it hadn’t rain𝓡ed so hard.”