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Formula 1 Belgian GP

2015 Belgian Grand Prix Saturday - Qualifying

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Perez and Hulkenberg have slotted into fourth and fifth behind the Mercedes and Bottas, then it's Grosjean in all-Mercedes top six.
Hamilton beats Bottas's early benchmark by six tenths with a 1m49.577s. Both are on mediums.
Merhi and then Bottas set the first flying laps, while again the Force Indias are proving quickest of all in sector one.
Half the field is immediately on track - the Mercedes, Force Indias, Bottas, Lotuses, Verstappen, Nasr and Merhi are out.
Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will know that regardless of what happens in this afternoon's qualifying session both McLarens will start from the back of the grid after further engine changes.

Belgian F1 GP: McLaren's Button and Alonso have second Honda change

McLaren have second Honda engine change

McLaren have second Honda engine change

The Williams cars of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa rounded out the top 10. They will hope to be closer to rivals Ferrari come qualifying.
The Reds Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat were sixth and seventh after completing their soft tyre runs early in the session.
Sergio Perez was a surprise fifth in the morning, setting the fastest final sector of anyone. He was two tenths and three places clear of team-mate Nico Hulkenberg. Force India will definitely be aiming for a spot in Q3 this afternoon.
Ferrari team-mates Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were forced to settle for third and fourth. The pair were 0.6 and 0.8s adrift of Hamilton's session topping time.
Mercedes dominated this morning's practice session, but unlike Friday it was Lewis Hamilton who was fastest, not team-mate Nico Rosberg.
Welcome back to AUTOSPORT's live coverage of the Belgian Grand Prix, qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps is just 15 minutes away.
Here's our full session report covering all the action from final practice at Spa

Belgian F1 GP: Lewis Hamilton heads practice three for Mercedes

Hamilton heads practice three - Spa

Hamilton heads practice three - Spa

Ricciardo, Sainz and Ericsson were all busy in final practice, each competing 20 laps in that hour-long session.

Alonso was at the opposite end of the spectrum, completing just a single tour of the Spa circuit before a reported exhaust gas problem curtailed his running.
And the rest of the order - Alonso failed to set a time.

11. Sainz +1.568s
12. Maldonado +1.601s
13. Verstappen +1.615s
14. Nasr +1.706s
15. Ericsson +2.070s
16. Grosjean +2.203s
17. Button +2.997S
18. Stevens +5.278s
19. Merhi +7.178s
20 Alonso
Final practice comes to a close and it's Hamilton fastest from team-mate Rosberg.

1. Hamilton 1m48.984s
2. Rosberg +0.498s
3. Vettel +0.645s
4. Raikkonen +0.880s
5. Perez +0.882s
6. Ricciardo +0.946s
7. Kvyat +0.996s
8. Hulkenberg +1.016s
9. Bottas +1.195s
10. Massa 1.463s
Grosjean isn't happy with Raikkonen.

"Very, very dangerous what he did to me," he tells the Lotus team.
Grosjean improves up to 16th with his final lap. He was baulked badly by a slow Raikkonen who was touring in.
The chequered flag comes out, it's Hamilton leading a Mercedes one-two this morning.
Only a couple of laps at most left for everyone, the Mercedes drivers both come in for another set of used softs.
Unwise to draw too many conclusions from practice but in this session at least Force India is Mercedes' second-best team ahead of Williams.
After that quick first sector, the rest of Raikkonen's lap is less special and he stays fourth, 0.235s slower than team-mate Vettel ahead.
Vettel runs wide at the exit of Les Combes and spits up gravel. He's third fastest overall.
Lotus has been muted in this session, but Maldonado now moves up to 12th between the Toro Rossos of Sainz and Verstappen.
Raikkonen is having another push, he sets the fastest first sector so far.
Rosberg does now pit, but he goes onto a used set of softs rather than another fresh batch.
"All corners high in temperature, especially rear-lefts," Kvyat is informed by his engineer.
No sign of anyone heading back to the pits for fresh rubber and another go, instead they're cracking on with more laps on these softs.
Only Grosjean, Merhi and the sidelined Alonso have yet to do times on softs.
Kvyat survives a big moment at Pouhon. A snap of oversteer but the Russian manages to hang on to the Red Bull and power his way through.
Order:

1 Hamilton
2 Rosberg
3 Vettel
4 Raikkonen
5 Perez
6 Ricciardo
7 Kvyat
8 Hulkenberg
9 Bottas
10 Massa
Vettel can't match the Mercedes but he does take third from Raikkonen.
But it's in the middle of the lap where Mercedes simply storms clear in the times.
Vettel isn't fastest in sector one for long - he's been upstaged by Perez!
Vettel is now on his soft-tyre lap and he's quickest of all in sector one.

By: AUTOSPORT staff

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