Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Live text
Formula 1 Belgian GP

F1 Belgian GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP1 & FP2

Minute-by-minute updates of Formula 1 Friday practice at Spa-Francorchamps

Pirelli branding on a bridge

Live Standings

Stopped

Summary

  • Summary
    • Second practice for Belgian GP red-flagged for a second time after Verstappen hits the wall
    • Session was earlier stopped following a crash for Leclerc exiting Les Combes
    • Verstappen fastest but Mercedes drivers didn't improve when using soft tyres
    • Wet track declared at start of session following Spa rain shower, but drivers quickly switch to slicks
    • Bottas topped FP1 from Verstappen, while Hamilton was only 18th after being blocked by Latifi's Williams
  • Leaderboard
    1. Verstappen, Red Bull
    2. Bottas, Mercedes
    3. Hamilton, Mercedes
    4. Alonso, Alpine
    5. Gasly, AlphaTauri
    6. Stroll, Aston Martin
    7. Ocon, Alpine
    8. Vettel, Aston Martin
    9. Norris, McLaren
    10. Perez, Red Bull

Live Text

Sort by
Oldest first
Good morning and welcome to our live updates from the Formula 1 Belgian GP.
It wouldn't be Spa-Francorchamps without some rain. We've had some showers in the build up to opening practice. It appears to have stopped raining now though.
A quick fast fact for you to start with while we wait for the drivers to climb into their cars. FAST FACT: Spa-Francorchamps has hosted 53 editions of the Belgian Grand Prix, including the very first championship race in Belgium in 1950.
Should be an interesting session this as the teams get to grips with a damp and greasy track especially given this is the first action since the summer break.
FP1 is about to begin.
Here we go FP1 is officially underway. But everyone remains in the garages.
Both Ferraris are the first to venture out on the track.
It appears the track is fairly wet in the pit lane and some areas but dry in most. The Ferraris have gone out on inters.
A flurry of cars are leaving the pitlane. Half the field are on track now including Bottas and Ricciardo.
It looks pretty dry in most sections of the track. It is too dry for inters.
Norris, Latifi, Mazepin, Verstappen and Russell are yet to complete an exploratory lap.
We are yet to see a timed lap. Installation laps are very much the plan at the minute. Slicks are being fitted in the pitlane now.
Verstappen is now strapped into his Red Bull and getting ready for his first laps of the weekend.
Only Norris out on track at the minute.
We are not expecting any more rain for the morning according to the forecasts but this is Spa so anything can happen.
Norris is on a timed lap running the medium compound tyres.
And there we go that's the first timed lap in the books. Norris clocks a 1m50.191s in the McLaren.
We should get a flurry of times coming in now.
Yellow flag
Brief yellow flag in sector 1. We are back to green running.
Verstappen has ventured out on track but he is on inters. Interesting.
Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) had a quick spin at La Source that will be the reason for the yellow flag.
Yuki Tsunoda has now produced a carbon copy of that spin.
Vettel has lowered the benchmark with a 1m49.324s.
Stroll moves to P2 before Ricciardo sets a new session best with 1m49.060s.
Vettel back to the top now with a 1m48.119s. Times are tumbling.
Gasly back to P2 just 0.099s slower than Vettel.
Ocon goes fastest after pumping in a 1m48.087s effort.
Ocon leads Vettel, Gasly Hamilton and Perez. That is the top five.
Schumacher, Mazepin and Verstappen are yet to post timed laps.
Ocon improves and is the first man into the 1m47s bracket.  Leclerc follows suit and climbs to P2.
Ricciardo now slots into P2 briefly before Gasly responds. Ocon's 1m47.250s is the time to beat.
Stroll appears to impede George Russell. Verstappen is out on the hard tyres.
The top eight have posted times in the 1m47s bracket.
Verstappen starts his first timed lap.
Verstappen fires in a 1m46.879 to go top by some 0.3s. Impressive stuff.
Verstappen is the first driver to dip into the 1m46s.
Sainz moves to P2 with 1m47.189s. Strong start for Ferrari with Leclerc in P8.
Meanwhile, Hamilton is down in P13, his Mercedes team-mate Bottas sits P11 as we enter the second half of the session.
Verstappen sets another purple Sector 2 and goes faster with a 1m46.423s. He is on it.
Verstappen is 0.744s faster than nearest rival Perez as Red Bull hold a nice 1-2 for now.

By: autosport.com staff

Published: