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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
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Bottas over his team radio: "It is a bit too dry for inters so I'll pit." The track looks mostly dry with a couple of wet patches dotted around.
Green flag
Here we go for FP2. Bottas, Raikkonen and Gasly head out straight away – all on the intermediate tyres.
For the record, air temp is at a chilly 14.8oC with track temp at 19.7oC. So prime Spa weather, if you'd like.
Rain
The track has been declared wet for this session following a rain shower during the break. The chance of further rain in FP2 is 60% but so far it is just cloudy and damp.
That is all to come in the future, but let's focus on the here and now. Another one-hour F1 practice session is a few minutes away at Spa-Francorchamps, with conditions looking tricky - to put it mildly.
Breaking news
While the remainder of the 2021 F1 calendar is quickly changing, with Mugello emerging as an option if the Turkish GP is unable to take place.
Breaking news
Good afternoon all! It has been a busy break between the two practice sessions with some big breaking news: Sergio Perez will remain at Red Bull in 2022 after his contract was extended. Here's the full story.
The F1 Belgian Grand Prix action continues this afternoon with FP2 scheduled for 2pm BST.
Hamilton ended the session in P18 but the championship leader displayed way more pace, but elected to back out of his push lap on softs at the final corner, having set a purple Sector 2.
The top 10 is completed by Perez (Red Bull), Vettel (Aston Martin), Norris (McLaren), Ocon (Alpine) and Alonso (Alpine).
AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly ended up in P3 ahead of the Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz in fourth and fifth.
Verstappen was impressive throughout for Red Bull, particularly on the hard tyres. He ends the session P2, 0.164s shy of Bottas.
Bottas tops FP1 for Mercedes with a 1m45.199s. The time set on the soft compound tyres.
Chequered flag is out for FP1.
A few practice starts going on now.
It is raining in the pit lane.
Only three minutes left in the session.
Just as we type that, Hamilton has left the pit lane.
Hamilton is in the pits. he remains in P18 but his pace is better than that as we saw on that lap he backed out of.
Leclerc has moved up to P4.
Verstappen improves again on the softs but he is 0.164s shy of Bottas.
Leclerc's moment has left plenty of gravel on the track.
Gasly has moved to P3 ahead of Sainz. They join Bottas and Verstappen in the 1m45s bracket.
Leclerc runs wide at Turn 7 and is lucky to avoid a big moment as he kicks up the gravel from the new track hazard.
There are some dark clouds rolling in here. Rain on the horizon it looks.
Verstappen improves but stays P2 with a 1m45.496s.
Hamilton the softs goes purple in Sector 2 before backing out of his lap at the final corner. He stays P16.
It is pertinent to mention that Verstappen's personal best was on the hard tyres which just shows how strong his pace has been.
Verstappen is back out on track.
Bottas to the top with a 1m45.199s.
Bottas is on a flyer on softs, he goes purple in Sector 1.
A flurry of quick times are coming as drivers opt for soft tyre runs. Sainz almost beats Verstappen with 1m45.935s effort.
Vettel to P2 with an impressive 1m46.177s. He is only 0.272s slower than Verstappen.
Stroll now pops his Aston Martin into P2 with a 1m46.867s. Ricciardo now eclipses that in the McLaren.
Hamilton has completed 12 laps but his best so far is only good enough for P15.
Just 20 minutes remaining in the session now.
Verstappen, Latifi, Perez, Sainz and Ocon is your top five, which is covered by 1.5s. Big field spread at the moment.
Latifi jumps to P2 in the Williams now with a 1m47.101s. Decent effort that.
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