All articles tagged with #belgian gp
Kimi Antonelli beat Max Verstappen to pole in Belgian GP qualifying, aided by a late tow from teammate Isack Hadjar. Verstappen improved with a tow of his own, but Antonelli’s gains in sector two and solid pace overall kept him ahead through the final runs, despite 2026 power-deployment quirks influencing the lap times.
Spa Friday practice for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix saw Red Bull posting strong medium-speed pace and Antonelli leading the way in FP2, narrowly ahead of Verstappen as Ferrari and McLaren showed potential. Gasly’s Turn 13 crash cut FP2 short, complicating long-run comparisons. With Mercedes close behind, teams will assess whether the hard tyre can mirror medium-tyre pace to enable a one-stop race, while FP3 will refine the picture.
Max Verstappen led the opening F1 practice at Spa-Francorchamps, setting a 1:47.070 on softs to beat Lewis Hamilton by 0.145s as Red Bull showed strong pace. Charles Leclerc and Ido Hadjar split the Bulls, with Piastri fifth despite a late-session hiccup that required a return to the pits. Lando Norris and George Russell joined the top eight, while rookie Jak Crawford finished last and Lance Stroll endured a difficult session further down the times.
The 2023 Belgian GP at Spa was delayed over 90 minutes due to heavy rain, safety concerns, and driver feedback, highlighting F1's ongoing challenges with wet conditions and safety protocols, ultimately leading to a cautious approach that affected the race's excitement.
Ferrari's team principal Frederic Vasseur defended the decision to delay the Belgian GP due to safety concerns caused by heavy rain and limited visibility, emphasizing the responsibility of race control to prevent accidents in the challenging conditions at Spa. While some teams were surprised by the delay, most drivers and team leaders agreed it was the right call to ensure safety, given the track's history of accidents in similar weather.
F1 drivers generally agree that the FIA made the right decision to delay the start of the Belgian GP due to safety concerns, citing visibility and track conditions as critical factors. Most drivers support the FIA's cautious approach, emphasizing safety over race timing, with some suggesting the timing was slightly late but ultimately appropriate.
Carlos Sainz supported the race director's decision to delay the Belgian GP start by 80 minutes due to rain, emphasizing safety given the track's history and recent accidents. Despite a disappointing race, he praised the cautious approach, which included a rolling start under safety car conditions, and acknowledged the gamble of starting from the pitlane did not pay off.
Max Verstappen criticized the FIA for delaying the Belgian GP start due to rain, arguing that the cautious approach was unnecessary and hindered wet-weather racing, a sentiment echoed by other drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. The race was delayed by over an hour, with some drivers feeling the decision was overly conservative, while others supported the safety measures. Verstappen expressed concern that such cautiousness could diminish the excitement and unpredictability of wet races in Formula 1.
Max Verstappen criticized the F1 race control's decision to delay the Belgian GP start due to rain, feeling it penalized teams prepared for wet conditions and was unnecessary given the track's readiness, while other drivers supported the cautious approach for safety reasons.
Lewis Hamilton criticized the decision to delay the start of the Belgian GP, believing race control overreacted due to previous race incidents and unnecessary safety measures, and argued that a standing start could have been feasible given the weather conditions.
Oscar Piastri leads the 2025 F1 drivers' championship after winning the delayed Belgian GP, with McLaren maintaining a strong lead in the constructors' standings. Piastri's victory over teammate Lando Norris, who finished second, helped him extend his points lead, while Max Verstappen and others follow in the standings.
The start of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa was delayed due to heavy rain causing poor visibility, leading race control to suspend the start with a red flag. The race is rescheduled to begin at 16:20 after conditions improved, although more rain is expected during the race.
The start of the 2025 F1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa was delayed indefinitely due to heavy rain and poor visibility, with safety concerns prompting the postponement until conditions improve.
The FIA Formula 3 race at the Belgian Grand Prix was canceled due to severe rain and dangerous conditions, raising concerns about the safety and potential delays for the F1 race later in the day.
Max Verstappen missed out on pole position at the Belgian GP due to a significant loss in sector two, despite improvements and a strong car setup, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri securing the top spot in sprint qualifying. Verstappen was notably slower in key corners, and the team is balancing downforce and top speed to optimize performance. Yuki Tsunoda continues to struggle with qualifying pace, and team boss Helmut Marko is cautious about Tsunoda's prospects for the race.