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Formula 1
Belgian GP
F1 Belgian GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP1 & Qualifying
Friday's action from the 12th round of the 2023 Formula 1 season
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F1’s final race before the summer break sees the return of the sprint race schedule, meaning Friday’s timetable is transformed into a single practice session followed by qualifying for Sunday’s grand prix.
Max Verstappen will carry a five-place grid penalty into the Belgian GP due to exceeding his gearbox allocation for the season with his Red Bull.
The Dutch driver currently leads the standings by 110 points from team-mate Sergio Perez and comes into this weekend off the back of seven consecutive victories.
The single free practice session starts at 12:30pm BST at Spa-Francorchamps, with qualifying taking place at 4pm BST.
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Leclerc has been sent out by Ferrari, with Zhou also heading out.
Only 15 drivers put a time on the board in this disrupted session. Neither Alpine posted a time, nor did Verstappen, Stroll and Sargeant.
Just five minutes to go in the session. It's likely we'll see some head out for a practice start at the end.
Alonso has gingerly made his way around the track on intermediates, but pulls in. Team-mate Stroll has also been told to box given how heavy the rain is.
Both Red Bulls have come back in.
Naturally, conditions could be like this for qualifying. But the risk over reward for doing this doesn't quite match.
Verstappen is going out too on inters.
Just as I say that, Sergio Perez has gone out on intermediates.
Daniel Ricciardo is climbing out of his AlphaTauri, suggesting he's already done for the session. Hard to see anyone heading out now with 14 minutes to go.
Unsurprisingly, nobody is rushing to get out on track given how wet it is now.
Green flag
The track has gone green again, but the rain is battering down.
With such limited running available to the drivers already this weekend ahead of qualifying today, this red flag will be about as welcome as a third armpit.
The Williams driver told his team "I couldn't turn, something was broken".
Sargeant has gone off at the end of the Kemmel Straight. Locked up under braking and hit the barrier lightly on the left-hand side.
Red flag
Session has been red-flagged.
Zhou has run off track at the end of the Kemmel Straight by the looks of it, while a Williams appears to have had a brief off-track excursion at some point.
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Hulkenberg has been told that "rain possibly increasing from Turns 5 to eight."
Stopwatch
Sainz has guided his Ferrari to a 2m03.207s.
Alfa Romeo is running a slightly revised livery this weekend for sponsor Kick - the high-vis green is a bit of a kick to the eyeballs, to be honest.
Stopwatch
Swap one McLaren for the other, as Piastri now goes fastest with a 2m03.792s.
Stopwatch
Now Norris is top on intermediates with a 2m04.484s. So, conditions are improving a little.
Stopwatch
While all that was going on, Leclerc has gone top with a 2m08.148s from Perez.
Gasly was on intermediates and simply locked up into the chicane. With part of that runoff gravel, he couldn't really spin his Alpine around - hence the need to reverse. He's back in to the pits and changing rubber.
Yellow flag
There's a yellow flag out in the last sector as Gasly reverses out of the Bus Stop runoff.
Perez has a bit of a slide at Turn 15 as he ran onto the kerb before heading into the spray through the scarily fast Blanchimont. Unsurprisingly, he backed off through that and posts a 2m23s lap.
There's 40 minutes left in this session and more drivers have taken to the circuit to explore the conditions.
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A note from the FIA regarding this session:
"We can confirm that the teams have been informed that Free Practice will not be used to set the grid for either the sprint or the grand prix this weekend. This has been done to ensure that teams do not treat the first session of the weekend as a competitive session.
"While the situation regarding the weather is constantly evolving, the priority will be to run a qualifying session for the grand prix. Other sessions may be cancelled or rescheduled to facilitate this, and if it is impossible to run a qualifying then the grid will be set by championship order."
"We can confirm that the teams have been informed that Free Practice will not be used to set the grid for either the sprint or the grand prix this weekend. This has been done to ensure that teams do not treat the first session of the weekend as a competitive session.
"While the situation regarding the weather is constantly evolving, the priority will be to run a qualifying session for the grand prix. Other sessions may be cancelled or rescheduled to facilitate this, and if it is impossible to run a qualifying then the grid will be set by championship order."
McLaren has sent Norris out now too.
Sainz in the Ferrari has ventured out for a look at the conditions.
Have got to say, those plastic ponchos some in the crowd are wearing are a massive ick. Bad for the environment, and bad for your style!
Tsunoda had a hairy moment going through Eau Rouge but kept it together. Track is completely empty now.
Albon, Tsunoda, Hamilton, Russell, Zhou and Ricciardo is your order after 10 minutes. Conditions are awful - but not really that bad if you're from Glasgow.
Albon had a moment under braking for the Bus Stop chicane and ran on. He's now back in the pits.
Hamilton pops in a 2m10.299s, highlighting how worse conditions have gotten since Albon's initial time.
Hamilton is told by his engineer that "we have heavier rain in the pitlane".
Stopwatch
Albon sets the initial pace at 2m08.394s.
Unfortunately, rain looks to have gotten a little heavier out on track, which is forcing a few more to fit full wets onto their cars.
Mercedes has sent Lewis Hamilton out on full wets for his initial lap.
Alex Albon is first out on track in his Williams on intermediate tyres.
Green flag
Practice is go at Spa!
By: Autosport Staff
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