2023 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa-Francorchamps, July 28 - 30 Sportsbook Motor Sport

[Tom]

So F1 heads to the iconic Spa Francorchamps for this weekends Grand Prix. It will be a sprint race and the last race before the summer break.

TV Times:
Friday: First Practice - 12.30. Qualifying - 16.00.
Saturday: Sprint Qualifying - 11.00. Sprint Race - 15.30
Sunday: Race - 14.00.

All sessions will be live on Sky Sports F1. Channel 4: Saturday - Qualifying Highlights: 19:45. Sunday: Race Highlights: 18:30.

This thread is for the general discussion of the event 2023 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa-Francorchamps, July 28 - 30. Please add to the discussion here.

 

[David76]

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen set the fastest lap time in qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix, but his five-place grid penalty for exceeding his gearbox allocation will promote second fastest Charles Leclerc to the first starting position for Sunday's Spa F1 race.

1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	1:58.515	1:52.784	1:46.168	22
2	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:58.300	1:52.017	1:46.988	23
3	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing	1:58.899	1:52.353	1:47.045	22
4	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:58.563	1:52.345	1:47.087	24
5	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1:58.688	1:51.711	1:47.152	23
6	Oscar Piastri	Mclaren	1:58.872	1:51.534	1:47.365	23
7	Lando Norris	Mclaren	1:59.981	1:52.252	1:47.669	21
8	George Russell	Mercedes	1:59.035	1:52.605	1:47.805	24
9	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	1:58.834	1:52.751	1:47.843	22
10	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	1:59.663	1:52.193	1:48.841	22
11	Yuki Tsunoda	Alphatauri	1:59.044	1:53.148		15
12	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	1:59.511	1:53.671		17
13	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	2:00.020	1:54.160		17
14	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo	1:59.484	1:54.694		17
15	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	1:59.634	1:56.372		13
16	Alexander Albon	Williams	2:00.314			8
17	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo	2:00.832			9
18	Logan Sargeant	Williams	2:01.535			6
19	Daniel Ricciardo	Alphatauri	2:02.159			8
20	Nico Hulkenberg	Haas	2:03.166			5

I know the grid penalty means Verstappen is not starting pole, but it must be gut-wrenching to see the times and think you are in with a shot at pole.

 

[Ginger Ted]

0.8 between 1st and 2nd, grim.

Hope to see a McLaren on the podium on Sunday but qualifying wasn't great, tbh.

 

[Franco Pinion]

SQ2 cut short after Lance Stroll crashes and red flags are waved. As a result of the red flags Troll's Aston Martin teammate Fernando Alonso is also out in SQ2 after failing to set a time.

Aston Martin have a tough job to get Stroll ready for the sprint race, maybe even with grid penalties for the main race.

 

[Franco Pinion]

Max Verstappen will start on pole position for this afternoon's sprint race.

What a lap by Oscar Piastri. The Australian rookie was just 0.011 seconds away from the Red Bull.

 

[Son Of Jack]

Verstappen wins the sprint race by 6.5 second on inters on a wet track

It's not a contest any more.

Well done Piastri cracking race for 2nd.

Hamilton's 5 second penalty is just shocking, it was a racing incident nothing more, WTF were the stewards looking at.

 

[Bandit]

Verstappen wins the sprint race by 6.5 second on inters on a wet track

It's not a contest any more.

Well done Piastri cracking race for 2nd.

Hamilton's 5 second penalty is just shocking, it was a racing incident nothing more, WTF were the stewards looking at.

Masterclass by Verstappen - the car/driver combination is just out of sight in all circumstances. Going to be a long season.

Delighted that Piastri managed second place. Hopefully he has a good run in the full race tomorrow.

 

[Franco Pinion]

Perez takes the lead and Verstappen is up to 3rd.

Piastri looks like his race is over after damage at turn 1

 

[Franco Pinion]

Piastri already looks in trouble

 

[Bandit]

Piastri out. This could be a safety car of some sort.