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Formula 1
Belgian GP
F1 Belgian GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race day
Updates from Sunday at Spa-Francorchamps for the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix
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F1 returns after its summer break with major developments off the track taking focus, headlined by Audi’s announcement it will join the championship as a power unit supplier in 2026 and the latest driver market saga.
On the track, Max Verstappen leads the F1 world drivers’ championship by 80 points over Charles Leclerc thanks to back-to-back wins in France and Hungary before the summer break.
But both serve grid penalties for the Belgian GP due to engine changes, along with five other drivers. Verstappen, who topped qualifying, starts from 14th with Leclerc alongside him in 15th. Carlos Sainz inherited pole position after qualifying and is joined on the front row by Sergio Perez.
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Sainz kicks off lap 6 having set a lap 0.7s faster than Perez to build a gap of 1.2s. Russell hasn't been able to cling on to the Red Bull.
Verstappen gains two places on lap of that safety car restart, as he dives up the inside of Ricciardo braking for the final chicane. He's now sixth.
But Russell's got Alonso alongside - but the Spanish driver decides discretion is the better part of valour. As you were in the top six...for now.
Verstappen gets by Albon to move up to seventh at Les Combes on the restart.
Green flag
Sainz makes a bit of a mess of the restart, locking up into the chicane, but it backs Perez up and that's given Russell a big chance on the restart!
Ferrari reports Leclerc had picked up a visor tearoff in his brake duct which was causing the smoke. They've been able to remove it but that's yet more bad luck for the title fighter.
Safety car
The safety car is coming in at the end of this lap - lap 4.
Word from Alpine that Alonso's car doesn't appear to be showing any signs of damage. He's still running in fourth.
Pit stop
Leclerc rejoins the action in 17th place, taking on fresh medium tyres, as Latifi also pits for a new front wing and returns to the action in 18th.
Pit stop
"I think there is some smoke from the front right," Leclerc says over team radio. He's pitting behind the safety car.
"This guy only knows how to drive starting in first," Alonso says witheringly of Hamilton, as he accuses the Mercedes driver of closing the door at Les Combes - and the wheel-to-wheel contact lifted Hamilton into the air.
Latifi has got going again after his spin, but Bottas is out of this race. That incident, which also had Ocon involved, has been noted by the stewards.
So Sainz retains the lead, from Perez, Russell, Alonso and Vettel. Ricciardo and Albon sixth and seventh, ahead of Verstappen, Leclerc, and Stroll in 10th.
Safety car
It's a safety car to clean up the mess. Hamilton stops at Blanchimont, and Bottas is beached.
Crash
More early drama - Latifi goes wide at Les Combes on to the gravel and spins around, which takes out Bottas in the process.
Hamilton gets told to stop - that's game over for the Mercedes driver.
Alonso and Hamilton touch at Les Combes! That's let Perez through, and now Hamilton's under attack from Vettel and Ricciardo. The Mercedes has damage, surely.
Verstappen has made a super start, getting up to eighth place at the end of the first lap!
Lights out
And the Belgian Grand Prix is go! Sainz gets away well, as Perez gets swallowed up by Alonso, Hamilton and Russell!
Everyone lines up, ready to take to the start of the Belgian Grand Prix...
Green flag
Here's the formation lap.
And Pierre Gasly is in the garage! The French driver due to start in eighth has ceded his grid slot presumably with a late issue.
Breaking news
Tyre news: all on mediums, except Sainz, Bottas, Verstappen and Leclerc (soft) and Tsunoda (hard).
Track temperature currently sits at 36.1 degrees C, with air temp around 21 degrees. It's clement.
Rain
Risk of rain for this race: 0%. Zero percent.
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In other news, it's worth mentioning that Yeovil Town chalked up the first win of the season against Dagenham and Redbridge. Our editor Haydn will be on to no doubt lament the Woking result from yesterday...
30 minutes to go until lights out. Anyone checked the weather? Will we get a race this year?
With all of the engine penalties, which presumably needed a rocket scientist to order the grid, we've got Alonso up in third, Albon up in sixth, and Bottas P13 after qualifying 20th. Galaxy brain stuff from the birthday boy.
On another note, Sebastian Vettel is looking more and more like The National's Aaron Dessner with each passing round. Rumour has it Vettel will spend his retirement producing Taylor Swift albums.
Breaking news
Yearly Simpsons reference out of the way, we'll almost certainly do that joke again next year. And the year after that.
Spa's corners are some of the most challenging on the circuit. Add to that the new gravel at...English side ruined, must use French track map. La Source?! What the hell is that?
Breaking news
And in news that will undoubtedly be popular, the Belgian Grand Prix will remain on the calendar for 2023. Story here: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/belgian-gp-to-remain-on-f1-calendar-in-2023/10359488/
We've got Carlos Sainz on pole from Sergio Perez, as championship battlers Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc start 14th and 15th among the confusing mass of grid penalties.
Hello and good afternoon! In just an hour's time, the Belgian Grand Prix will get underway - and it's shaping up to be an enthralling race.
By: autosport.com
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