LEWIS HAMILTON has been handed a huge boost in his chances of securing a first place finish at the Belgian GP with Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc facing back of grid penalties.
Leclerc and Verstappen are two of six drivers who have been penalised for using more engine parts than required.
And Hamilton is yet to win a race this season but if the seven-time champion can pull off a victory, he can gain some ground on Verstappen who leads on 258 points.
- TV channel: Sky Sports F1
- Live stream: NowTV
- Saturday, August 27: Practice Three 12pm, Qualifying 3pm
- Sunday, August 28: Belgian Grand Prix race 2pm
Stay up to date with all the latest from Spa-Francorchamps…
Still dry at Spa
And in another shock, it is he the two Alfa Romeos who at at the top of the time sheets followed by the two Aston Martins.
FP3 is go at Spa
Final chance to make some changes before qualifying. If you missed it yesterday, there are a host of grid penalties on the way, so Lewis Hamilton will be hoping that his penalty-free grid position will allow him the chance to fight for a win.
Spa to stay.
Building on our earlier announcement that Spa will remain a destination for F1 drivers next season, journalist Fernando Tornello has given us an update on the situation.
Spa is a favourite track for many F1 fans, and is coated in heritage, as is the Belgian Grand Prix.
It seems that they are renewing their contract with Spa for at least three years. It will be announced in the next few hours.
Fernando Tornello
Ollie Bearman wins in F3
Ollie Bearman has won the Formula 3 sprint race in Spa this morning, with the Ferrari academy driver putting in a great performance to get his maiden victory.
This is how the top 10 looked from that race:
The top 10 from today’s Formula 3 sprint race in Spa. Credit: @FIAFormula3 via Twitter. Spa WILL be back next year.
While we will no longer see the French grand prix next year, F1 fans will be glad to hear that we will be back at Spa next season.
This was confirmed via the Sky Sports F1 Twitter account, and many fans are pleased with the outcome.
Spa is considered a legendary track among F1 fanatics, and it is great news that we will be back, in Spa, inevitably in the rain next year.
Nice touch, Pierre.
Pierre Gasly always leaves a bouquet of flowers track-side at Spa, in memory of Anthoine Hubert.
Gasly and the Formula 2 driver learned to race together, studied together and even lived together for six years.
A beautiful touch from the Frenchman…
Credit: Alamy Pressure’s on, Lewis.
Lewis Hamilton is yet to win a Formula 1 race this season, and may not have a better chance to do so than this weekend in Spa.
The two normal front runners this season, Verstappen and Leclerc, both have penalties that will see them start from the back of the grid, which will give Lewis a huge boost in the race tomorrow.
No one could get close to Verstappen in practice yesterday, so you wouldn’t bet against him fighting through the pack, but this one is certainly set up for Lewis to put on a really good show.
The Brit finished 6th in practice yesterday, which was higher than Mercedes team mate George Russell, who finished the practice down in eighth.
Lewis Hamilton will be hoping to win the Belgian Grand Prix tomorrow.Credit: Getty Spa break
Lewis Hamilton has been handed a huge boost ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix with title leaders Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen set to be demoted to the back of the grid.
The Brit driver is still looking for his first win of the season and will likely not get a better chance this season with both frontrunners having to fight through the pack.
Leclerc and Verstappen are just two of SIX drivers set to take penalties, with several teams choosing to take new power units and having to start from the back of the grid as a result.
McLaren’s Lando Norris, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo and Haas’ Mick Schumacher are the other drivers set to be penalised.
The penalties have been confirmed by the governing body the FIA after the first practice session.
Teams are believed to be taking the penalties at this race as it is easier in to overtake in Belgium and make up places than other tracks.
Practice 3
Practice 3 gets underway from 12pm UK time tomorrow.
Then there’s qualifying from 3pm.
The big race takes place 2pm on Sunday.
FP2 is done
Verstappen tops the session – a whopping 0.862 seconds clear of Leclerc.
Norris is in P3 and Stroll in P4 in another encouraging session for the Canadian.
Sainz is fifth and Hamilton sixth, who is the best-placed of the two Mercedes drivers. Russell is down in eighth.
Here comes the rain
It has started and we are in for another early finish here. Lap times will not improve.
No one can get close to Verstappen
He is in a class of one. So much quicker than the rest. He does have grid penalties, otherwise this was looking far too easy.
Leclerc reacts to Verstappen’s lap time
He’s told the Dutchman is 0.862 seconds ahead of his best time. “Wow…that is quick”, he says over the radio.
Verstappen setting the pace
The world champion is top of the timesheets in an otherwise dull session so far.
Only Vettel has notched double-figures in the way of laps and he is in 18th.
FP2 is go
Second session underway in Spa. The track is damp and we have a 40 percent chance of rain in this sesion.
Verstappen latest
McLaren’s Lando Norris, Alpine’s Eseban Ocon, Alfa Romeo’s Valterri Bottas and Haas’ Mick Schumacher are the other four drivers who will start from the back.
Verstappen to start from BACK of grid
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc will start from the BACK of the grid at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The Red Bull and Ferrari aces are two of six drivers to be penalised for using too many engine parts.
FP1 is done – Ferrari set the pace
Sainz and Leclerc top the session in Spa, the two are separated by just 0.069 seconds.
Verstappen is third quickest 0.217 seconds off Sainz’s best time and Russell is fourth.
Hamilton down in 9th place and Norris in 13th.
It is raining
A wet end to the session at Spa meaning lap times will not improve. Under three minutes to go and it is Sainz, Leclerc, Verstappen, Russell as the top four.
Green light
We are going again after a lengthy delay to recover the Haas. Eight minutes on the clock remain in FP1.
Red flag – Magnussen stops on track
He has a mechanical problem – says “his engine is out”, and is told to stop the car.
This session has been stopped for the time being as they recover his car.
No penalty for Williams
Pretty mad that Williams have been let off there. Looked a slam dunk penalty to me.
Ocon has a problem
He radios his Alpine team to inform them and the ask him to bring the car in to the pits for them to check it over. He was eighth quickest.
Near miss!
Verstappen almost wipes out Latifi in the pitlane. What were Williams doing calling him out into the pitlane with the Red Bull man approaching at such speed.
That’s likely to be a fine for the Williams team due to an unsafe release.
Green light in the pit lane
We are go for the Belgium GP – the season is back after the summer break.
Lots of new parts on these cars, so expect of running – despite the wet conditions.
New engines on the way for a number of drivers – details to follow once confirmed with the FIA – but the grid on Sunday could see a number of top drivers starting at the back of the grid.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
