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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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Albon will be investigated after the session for rejoining the track unsafely following his Q1 final lap off at Rivage.
This time Hamilton leads out the pack ahead of team-mate Russell. Lots of early takers again looking to maximise track time in the 15-minute session.
Green flag
Q2 is go!
No time for a breather, Q2 will begin in a little under three minutes.
Out in Q1: P16 Albon, P17 Zhou, P18 Sargeant, P19 Ricciardo, P20 Hulkenberg.
Leclerc leaps above Verstappen to take top spot at the end of Q1. But it is bad news for Williams as it sees both drivers out in this first session.
Ricciardo sets a 1m59.483s to go sixth but he loses the lap for track limits so he is out in Q1.
Tsunoda and Bottas both jump from the drop zone into the top six, they are safe.
Hulkenberg is stuck in the pits and with less than two minutes to go in Q1, he won't have time to get around to start a timed lap. So that is one of the five early exiteers.
With track conditions improving all the time this one will tumble around until the chequered flag. Hamilton takes top spot by 0.091s from Verstappen. Currently in the drop zone is Ricciardo, Albon, Sargeant, Magnussen and Hulkenberg.
Stopwatch
Verstappen will face no further action after being noted for that possible impeding on Albon. He celebrates by going top with a 1m58.932s.
Lots of drivers are pitting for a fresh set of intermediate tyres to have a second crack at a top 15 spot to progress into Q2.
Stopwatch
Sainz takes over at the top with a 2m00.536s, ahead of Verstappen and Alonso.
Sargeant has joined the track action so gets a shot at escaping Q1.
Verstappen has been noted for possible impeding on Albon at the final corner. That'll be one to watch out for later.
Off track
A flurry of fast laps are notched up which sees Piastri go fastest with a 2m01.438s. Meanwhile McLaren team-mate Norris saved a massive crash at Stavelot, catching a snap, but has to take to the gravel and picks up possible damage.
Sargeant is waiting for the final fixes to his gearbox change following his crash in practice, which is why he isn't out on the track in Q1 yet.
Stopwatch
Norris takes over at the top with a 2m01.874s, as Magnussen gets his first timed lap deleted for track limits at Turn 10.
Stopwatch
Hamilton sets the early benchmark of 2m02.280s, weaving through traffic at the end of the lap, as the Ferraris and Red Bulls lined up to start their first timed laps.
Everybody apart from Sargeant is out on track. The F1 rookie isn't in his car yet and work is going on to his car, potentially due to his practice crash.
Green flag
Here we go! Russell leads out the pack to get Q1 going.
Race control has confirmed Q1 will definitely start at 10 minutes past the hour. Let's get this show on the road.
Mercedes tells Russell is it tracking a rain cell (a shower in normal speak) which could hit the track in five minutes. Ohhh the drama.
Sun
In fairness, the sun has burst through the clouds and is providing a lovely glow over the pitlane.
The Mercedes pair have been joined by the Alfa Romeo duo Bottas and Zhou at the end of the pitlane. Do they know something the rest don't?
Russell and Hamilton, keen as mustard, are already at the end of the pitlane waiting for Q1 to start. He's got seven minutes sitting stationary.
It looks like the rain shower that hit F2 quali about 45 minutes ago has passed, so the track should dry fairly quickly. Assuming it doesn't rain again, of course.
As long as this doesn't become the final two days of the Ashes test at Manchester, all will be well.
Rain
The start of qualifying has been delayed by 10 minutes. This could be a theme of the session.
Breaking news
Pat Fry is also leaving Alpine as he is off to Williams as its new chief technical officer: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/pat-fry-to-join-williams-f1-team/10500993/
Breaking news
Off the track, there's been a lot of headline-generating at Alpine. Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane have been axed from their roles with Bruno Famin coming into the top job on an interim basis.

Full story: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/szafnauer-out-as-alpine-f1-team-boss/10501134/

Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal, Alpine F1 Team

Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal, Alpine F1 Team

Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images

Focusing on the track action to start, an epic rain downpour during F2 qualifying has soaked the circuit once again after it had been drying out following a soggy F1 practice session. As things stand qualifying will start on time.
Rain
Good afternoon one and all! Belgian GP qualifying is fast approaching, in theory, but the wet stuff falling from the sky could have a big say in how the next hour or so plays out.
That's all for now. We'll be back later for qualifying, which is due to start at 4pm BST.
Here is the report from that rather wet practice in Belgium: 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-belgian-gp-fp1-report/10501159/
Hopefully conditions improve for qualifying, as it's hard to imagine that going ahead if water levels remain as they are.
Checkered flag
Practice has come to an end with Sainz fastest from Piastri and Norris.
As expected, a few more drivers are out to do a practice start.

By: Autosport Staff

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