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Formula 1 Belgian GP

F1 Belgian GP Live Commentary and Updates - Sprint Quali & Race

Saturday's action from the 12th round of the 2023 Formula 1 season

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19

F1's final sprint race before the summer break will take place on Saturday after qualifying for the grand prix itself took place on Friday. 

Max Verstappen was hampered by a five-place grid penalty for Sunday after changing his gearbox but that penalty will not apply for the sprint. 

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.

Sprint qualifying will get underway at 11:00am BST at Spa-Francorchamps, with the sprint race starting at 3:30pm BST.

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Rain
The cars are on the grid as start preparations get going in earnest. Alex Kalinauckas tells us it's spitting.
If you're just joining us and wondering why there's no track action yet, it's because this morning's sprint qualifying shootout was delayed by heavy rain. And the F1 regulations state that the sprint race has to commence four and a half hours after the sprint shootout begins. Convoluted? You bet.
It wasn't the cleanest of sessions to put it mildly for Mercedes either. Lewis Hamilton was the fastest of the Black Arrows in SQ3, while George Russell ended up tenth and slowest. He called it a "total mess", which you can read about here: 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/russell-spa-f1-sprint-shootout-a-total-mess-for-mercedes/10501726/
Stroll shunted on the mediums he was obliged to use upon switching to slicks in SQ2 because the track was not declared wet by the FIA. Here's more on this scenario, which took teams by surprise: 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-teams-surprised-by-fias-spa-shootout-tyre-call/10501743/
As ever after such a session there was a range of contrasting emotions down the pitlane. Aston Martin had particular cause for frustration after Lance Stroll's crash, before he and team-mate Fernando Alonso had set a time, ensured both cars were eliminated in SQ2. They will start 14th (Stroll) and 15th (Alonso) respectively, after Alonso had been third in SQ1.
The sprint shootout, as we're now getting used to calling it, produced an entertaining scrap for pole as Verstappen narrowly edged Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz. The damp and ever-improving track had more than a little to do with it, but it was exciting to see the top three split by just 0.025s. Getting close to Jerez 1997 territory, that...
Good afternoon, and welcome back to Autosport's live coverage from Saturday track action at Spa. We're half an hour away from the sprint race, which Max Verstappen will start on pole.
And with that, we bid you farewell until the sprint later on today. 

To catch up with all the action, here is the full Autosport report of sprint qualifying from the Belgian GP 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-belgian-gp-shootout/10501668/
On the other side of the Ferrari garage, Leclerc declares himself "really disappointed". A mistake at Turn 9 took away the "potential to be on pole" that he felt the car had within it.
A distinct change in emotions from Sainz, who ended Friday disappointed. He will start the sprint race from P3 and he sets a podium as the objective.
Hamilton's radio shows him repeatedly informing Mercedes that Russell had run wide at Turn 1, and indicating that his team-mate needs to get out of the way rather than hinder both of them.
Hamilton has declared he is "not happy" about his session. "It is what it is," says Hamilton about his latest run-in with Russell. He refuses to elaborate on this, but the slump in body language says everything he refused to.
Piastri has suggested he will 'tie a rope' to Verstappen's Red Bull and be dragged around the track. That's one way to get a result, I guess.
While the skies are blue around Spa at the moment, it is expected that there will be more rain before the sprint race. As if anything else was needed to spice this one up!
Piastri has described it as "a bit frustrating" to miss out on pole by just 0.011s, but conceded that if there's one track you don't want to be on pole at, it is Spa. 

Like Silverstone, could a McLaren driver take the lead of a race in the opening exchanges?
The sprint will get underway at 4:05pm BST - a 35-minute delay on the original plan as a result of the pushback in qualifying.
Apparent chaos off the track, but on it, Alpine enjoyed a positive session with Gasly P6 and Ocon P9.
Verstappen has described his second sector as "a bit careful" given the track was "super-slippery". 

The caution didn't appear to slow him too much!
Replays are showing that Russell somewhat got in Hamilton's way at the start of their final laps. A lockup into Turn 1 put Hamilton on his tail, before the seven-time champion was forced to lift off later on.
It has been another strong session for Ferrari, with Sainz and Leclerc P3/4 on the grid for today's sprint race. Norris completes the top five.
Perez is only P8 in another somewhat underwhelming performance, although it should be noted that he had worse track conditions than many of those ahead of him.
Pisatri is second by just 0.011! What a result from the rookie McLaren driver! Is there a driver of the day award for qualifying?
Stopwatch
Verstappen completes the session and is fastest! The Red Bull driver will start from pole position after registering a 1m49.056s.
Stopwatch
Sainz now toped the order as Leclerc goes P2.
Stopwatch
Gasly goes fastest with a 1m49.700s.
Checkered flag
The chequered flag is out. Verstappen will be the last driver to register a time.
Stopwatch
Perez continued to push, however, and takes to the top with a 1m50.303s! Time is there to be had. He had significant traffic to negotiate at the Bus Stop chicane.
But with a clear track, expect further improvements.
All 10 drivers have set their first times with a Hamilton-Verstappen front row being the provisional result.
Verstappen can only manage P2! He is one-tenth behind Hamilton.
Stopwatch
But Norris rediscovers his pace and goes faster, as does Hamilton. The Mercedes driver now leads the way with a 1m31.198s.
Stopwatch
A 1m52.265s to open things for Leclerc. Sainz goes P2.
Drivers will probably try for two push laps, separated by a recharge, slower effort.
Lights green
Slick, soft tyres for everyone as SQ3 begins.

The FIA has confirmed the track was intentionally not declared as being wet to prevent teams from running whichever slick tyres they wanted. Bizarre.

By: Autosport Staff

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