Sainz Dominates Rain-Hampered FP1 at Spa-Francorchamps

The Formula 1 drivers faced treacherous conditions during the first – and only – practice session of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps. With heavy rain pouring down, the track was drenched, forcing many drivers to opt for full wet tires.

As the session began, only six drivers managed to set a time within the first 10 minutes. Alex Albon, despite a lock-up at the bus stop chicane, emerged as the early pace-setter. However, the rain intensified, prompting all drivers to retreat to the pit lane, hoping for an improvement in conditions.

After a seven-minute delay, a few brave drivers ventured back onto the track, led by Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. Demonstrating his skill in wet conditions, Sainz set the fastest lap on intermediate tires, leaving McLaren's Oscar Piastri trailing by over half a second.

Unfortunately, the session was soon interrupted by a red flag when Logan Sargeant crashed into the barrier at Les Combes. Sargeant reported that he was unable to turn the car, and replays confirmed his struggles as the FW45 went straight on despite his efforts to steer.

While the marshals cleared the track, the rain intensified, discouraging any further running. Consequently, Sainz's lap time of 2m 03.207s remained unchallenged, securing him the top spot. Piastri held onto second place, 0.585s behind the Ferrari driver.

Lando Norris, driving for McLaren, claimed third place, albeit over six-tenths of a second behind his teammate Piastri. Charles Leclerc, representing Ferrari, finished fourth, followed by Sergio Perez in the lead Red Bull.

Alex Albon, making a return with Williams, secured the sixth-fastest time, while Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri survived a wobbly moment at Eau Rouge to claim seventh place. Kevin Magnussen emerged as the lead Haas driver in eighth position.

Daniel Ricciardo continued his comeback with AlphaTauri, finishing ninth, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in the other Haas. Fernando Alonso, driving for Aston Martin, rounded off the top 11.

Mercedes arrived at Spa-Francorchamps with several upgrades, including a new sidepod and floor, as well as different rear wing configurations on both cars. However, due to the adverse weather conditions, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell had limited running time, finishing in 12th and 13th place, respectively.

Valtteri Bottas, formerly with Mercedes and now racing for Alfa Romeo, claimed 14th place, with his teammate Zhou Guanyu finishing 15th. Zhou had a scare when he ventured into the gravel and brushed against the barrier at Turn 8.

Logan Sargeant, who caused the red flag incident, ended up in 16th place. Lance Stroll of Aston Martin, along with the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, and championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull, did not set a time during the session.

As the drivers prepare for qualifying later today under the new revised Sprint format rules, they will be hoping for improved weather conditions to showcase their true pace. With the rain playing a significant role in FP1, it remains to be seen how it will impact the rest of the race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.