Max Verstappen, facing a 10-place grid penalty for taking a new engine, topped the times for Red Bull ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in a qualifying session run in mixed wet-and-dry conditions at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Leclerc will start Sunday's race from pole position as he did in 2023 with Sergio Perez alongside him in the second Red Bull, the Mexican having ended a nightmare run of qualifying failures amid reports that his future with the team is at risk.&nbsp;

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth for Mercedes and will share the second row of the grid with McLaren's Lando Norris, who qualified fifth ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri and George Russell in the second Mercedes.&nbsp;

Carlos Sainz was eighth in the second Ferrari in front of compatriot and two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin, Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Alex Albon of Williams -- who will be 10th&nbsp;on the grid ahead of Verstappen.&nbsp;

"It was a nice qualifying and luckily the weather was ok," said Verstappen, referring to earlier heavy rain that turned final practice into a washout. "It was raining a little bit, but we could do a decent session.&nbsp;

"I know I have to start 10 places back so this was the best I could do today and we'll go from there. I don't know quick we are going to be, but I hope we can be in the mix."

Verstappen will be bidding to win the Belgian race for the fourth consecutive year, having won previously after taking grid penalties, but his car this year lacks the same clear superiority. Last year, he won from sixth.&nbsp;This year he starts 11th.

"It's exactly the same as last year and, for me, it's good as I didn't expect that. We had tricky conditions and the rain helped us a bit and it's good to be back at the front of the grid," said Leclerc.

In steady but light rain, Norris led a train of cars from the pitlane for Q1, followed by both Haas cars and his McLaren team-mate Piastri, who was forced to drop to fourth by an exit by Kevin Magnussen that he described as "dangerous".

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-when--how-to-watch-manu-bhakers-10m-air-pistol-womens-singles-final---live-streaming-744800">Paris Olympics 2024: When &amp; how to watch Manu Bhaker's 10m air pistol women's singles final? - Live streaming</a>

<h2>Racing in the rain</h2>

A heavy shower was forecast by McLaren and this accelerated all 20 drivers to join the fray in pursuit of an early banker lap before the conditions deteriorated. All were on intermediates as Norris clocked 1:58.894 before being beaten by Piastri, in 1:57.411.&nbsp;

Verstappen then took over on top in 1:56.003 with Piastri threatening and taking second before rising to take command with five minutes to go in 1:55.549, before the Dutchman regained the ascendancy.&nbsp;

He clocked 1:54.938 to go six-tenths clear of Piastri while Norris struggled to match him and Russell fought to survive, rising from 17th&nbsp;to third in the final seconds of Q1.&nbsp;

Taking advantage of a problem for Verstappen, who was involved in a blocking incident with Zhou Guanyu's Sauber, Piastri took the top spot again in 1:54.835 ahead of Pierre Gasly.&nbsp;

The early departures were taken by the two Haas men, Nico Hulkenberg and Magnussen, RB's Yuki Tsunoda, who will start from the back of the grid after taking a penalty for new power unit parts, Logan Sargeant of Williams and Zhou.&nbsp;

Q2 began in similar fashion, with rain forecast and all 15 runners on track, Alex Albon setting the early pace for Williams before Norris took over in 1:54.459 and then Verstappen, in 1:53.857. All were on 'inters' again.&nbsp;

With five minutes to go, Russell and Leclerc, with fresh tyres, were both in the drop-zone as the rain intensified. Russell reacted by leaping to fourth followed by Leclerc, taking third, and Hamilton up fifth.

Late faster laps from Perez, Ocon and Gasly pushed the Mercedes pair to go second and third while the under-pressure Perez survived by 0.003 seconds. Albon, Pierre Gasly of Alpine, Daniel Ricciardo of RB, Sauber's Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stroll, whose Aston Martin team had rebuilt his car after his crash in FP3, missed the cut.

Hamilton was first out for Q3 and posted a lap in 1:54.011 as a marker.

On their first runs, only the two Red Bulls beat him, Verstappen going top in 1:53.159, leaving it all down to the final laps to decide the final grid order.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Max Verstappen, facing a 10-place grid penalty for taking a new engine, topped the times for Red Bull ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in a qualifying session run in mixed wet-and-dry conditions at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Max Verstappen, facing a 10-place grid penalty for taking a new engine, topped the times for Red Bull ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in a qualifying session run in mixed wet-and-dry conditions at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday. Leclerc will start Sunday's race from pole position as he did in 2023 with Sergio Perez alongside him in the second Red Bull, the Mexican having ended a nightmare run of qualifying failures amid reports that his future with the team is at risk. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth for Mercedes and will share the second row of the grid with McLaren's Lando Norris, who qualified fifth ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri and George Russell in the second Mercedes. Carlos Sainz was eighth in the second Ferrari in front of compatriot and two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin, Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Alex Albon of Williams -- who will be 10th on the grid ahead of Verstappen. "It was a nice qualifying and luckily the weather was ok," said Verstappen, referring to earlier heavy rain that turned final practice into a washout. "It was raining a little bit, but we could do a decent session. "I know I have to start 10 places back so this was the best I could do today and we'll go from there. I don't know quick we are going to be, but I hope we can be in the mix." Verstappen will be bidding to win the Belgian race for the fourth consecutive year, having won previously after taking grid penalties, but his car this year lacks the same clear superiority. Last year, he won from sixth. This year he starts 11th. "It's exactly the same as last year and, for me, it's good as I didn't expect that. We had tricky conditions and the rain helped us a bit and it's good to be back at the front of the grid," said Leclerc. In steady but light rain, Norris led a train of cars from the pitlane for Q1, followed by both Haas cars and his McLaren team-mate Piastri, who was forced to drop to fourth by an exit by Kevin Magnussen that he described as "dangerous". ALSO READ | Paris Olympics 2024: When & how to watch Manu Bhaker's 10m air pistol women's singles final? - Live streaming Racing in the rain A heavy shower was forecast by McLaren and this accelerated all 20 drivers to join the fray in pursuit of an early banker lap before the conditions deteriorated. All were on intermediates as Norris clocked 1:58.894 before being beaten by Piastri, in 1:57.411. Verstappen then took over on top in 1:56.003 with Piastri threatening and taking second before rising to take command with five minutes to go in 1:55.549, before the Dutchman regained the ascendancy. He clocked 1:54.938 to go six-tenths clear of Piastri while Norris struggled to match him and Russell fought to survive, rising from 17th to third in the final seconds of Q1. Taking advantage of a problem for Verstappen, who was involved in a blocking incident with Zhou Guanyu's Sauber, Piastri took the top spot again in 1:54.835 ahead of Pierre Gasly. The early departures were taken by the two Haas men, Nico Hulkenberg and Magnussen, RB's Yuki Tsunoda, who will start from the back of the grid after taking a penalty for new power unit parts, Logan Sargeant of Williams and Zhou. Q2 began in similar fashion, with rain forecast and all 15 runners on track, Alex Albon setting the early pace for Williams before Norris took over in 1:54.459 and then Verstappen, in 1:53.857. All were on 'inters' again. With five minutes to go, Russell and Leclerc, with fresh tyres, were both in the drop-zone as the rain intensified. Russell reacted by leaping to fourth followed by Leclerc, taking third, and Hamilton up fifth. Late faster laps from Perez, Ocon and Gasly pushed the Mercedes pair to go second and third while the under-pressure Perez survived by 0.003 seconds. Albon, Pierre Gasly of Alpine, Daniel Ricciardo of RB, Sauber's Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stroll, whose Aston Martin team had rebuilt his car after his crash in FP3, missed the cut. Hamilton was first out for Q3 and posted a lap in 1:54.011 as a marker. On their first runs, only the two Red Bulls beat him, Verstappen going top in 1:53.159, leaving it all down to the final laps to decide the final grid order. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula One: Penalised Max Verstappen tops qualifying, Charles Leclerc takes pole

Max Verstappen clinched the Belgium Grand Prix on Sunday (August 28) but British driver Lewis Hamilton made heads turn following a crash with Fernando Alonso. Now, the Mercedes driver opened up on the crash and claimed that he was “grateful to still be alive” while admitting he was at fault after&nbsp;hitting Alonso during the opening lap.

The crash launched Hamilton’s car in&nbsp;the air, with the damage prompting him to retire from the race there itself. As per a report in The Guardian, the 37-year-old opined, "Looking back at the footage he was in my blind spot, I didn’t give him enough space. It is my fault. Just, so sorry to the team. I could not see him. I am sorry to the team and I need to recuperate and get back on the treadmill.”

On the other hand, Alonso wasn't impressed with Hamilton's tactics and called him “an idiot” on the team radio following the incident. This, in turn, has led to the seven-time champion Hamilton claiming that he&nbsp;would refuse to interact with the Spaniard with regard to the crash.

Having started the race on a good note before Hamilton's crash, Alonso slammed the former and said, "What an idiot closing the door from the outside. We had a mega start but this guy only knows how to drive and start in first."&nbsp;The Spaniard said added: "Why does he close the door? I just don’t understand."

To this, Hamilton hit back at Alonso and said, "No. I would have until I heard what he said. I know that’s how things feel in the heat of the moment, but it’s nice to know how he feels about me."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappen-cruises-to-victory-after-starting-at-p14-at-the-belgian-grand-prix-as-lewis-hamilton-suffers-510979">Max Verstappen cruises to victory after starting at P14 at the Belgian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton suffers</a>

While Hamilton retired from the race following the unfortunate turn of events, Alonso settled for the fifth slot. However, Hamilton chose to see the brighter side to have walked away injury-free.&nbsp;

“I remember looking at the ground, it was definitely high up. I’m grateful to be still alive and in shape,” he said.

Verstappen clinchs drama-filled Belgium GP

"It was quite a hectic first lap to try and stay out of trouble," said Verstappen in an official statement. "So many things were happening in front of me. But once we settled in after the Safety Car, the car was really on rails, we picked the right places to pass people and we could look after our tyres and that is how we made our way forward," the Red Bull racer opined.

"After that, once we were in the lead it was all about managing everything - but this whole weekend has been incredible. It`s been a weekend I couldn`t imagine before, but I think we want more of them, so keep working hard," he further added.

Max Verstappen clinched the Belgium Grand Prix on Sunday (August 28) but British driver Lewis Hamilton made heads turn following a crash with Fernando Alonso. Now, the Mercedes driver opened up on the crash and claimed that he was “grateful to still be alive” while admitting he was at fault after hitting Alonso during the opening lap.

Max Verstappen clinched the Belgium Grand Prix on Sunday (August 28) but British driver Lewis Hamilton made heads turn following a crash with Fernando Alonso. Now, the Mercedes driver opened up on the crash and claimed that he was “grateful to still be alive” while admitting he was at fault after hitting Alonso during the opening lap. The crash launched Hamilton’s car in the air, with the damage prompting him to retire from the race there itself. As per a report in The Guardian, the 37-year-old opined, "Looking back at the footage he was in my blind spot, I didn’t give him enough space. It is my fault. Just, so sorry to the team. I could not see him. I am sorry to the team and I need to recuperate and get back on the treadmill.” On the other hand, Alonso wasn't impressed with Hamilton's tactics and called him “an idiot” on the team radio following the incident. This, in turn, has led to the seven-time champion Hamilton claiming that he would refuse to interact with the Spaniard with regard to the crash. Having started the race on a good note before Hamilton's crash, Alonso slammed the former and said, "What an idiot closing the door from the outside. We had a mega start but this guy only knows how to drive and start in first." The Spaniard said added: "Why does he close the door? I just don’t understand." To this, Hamilton hit back at Alonso and said, "No. I would have until I heard what he said. I know that’s how things feel in the heat of the moment, but it’s nice to know how he feels about me." ALSO READ | Max Verstappen cruises to victory after starting at P14 at the Belgian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton suffers While Hamilton retired from the race following the unfortunate turn of events, Alonso settled for the fifth slot. However, Hamilton chose to see the brighter side to have walked away injury-free. “I remember looking at the ground, it was definitely high up. I’m grateful to be still alive and in shape,” he said. Verstappen clinchs drama-filled Belgium GP "It was quite a hectic first lap to try and stay out of trouble," said Verstappen in an official statement. "So many things were happening in front of me. But once we settled in after the Safety Car, the car was really on rails, we picked the right places to pass people and we could look after our tyres and that is how we made our way forward," the Red Bull racer opined. "After that, once we were in the lead it was all about managing everything - but this whole weekend has been incredible. It`s been a weekend I couldn`t imagine before, but I think we want more of them, so keep working hard," he further added.

Lewis Hamilton 'grateful to still be alive', admits his mistake for crash in Belgium Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton stretched his lead in the drivers' world championship and closed to within two wins of Michael Schumacher's Formula One record of 91 on Sunday with a majestic, if ultimately tense, Belgian Grand Prix victory.

The series leader and six-time champion registered his 89th career win with another flawless drive to take his fourth Belgian triumph, finishing 8.448 seconds clear of his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

It was Hamilton's fifth win in seven races this year and extended his record run of points-scoring races to 40.

Max Verstappen came third for Red Bull, seven seconds further adrift, to claim his sixth podium finish in succession.

Hamilton, who had to nurse his car home on worn tyres, has 157 points in the title race, 47 clear of Verstappen. The 'black arrows' lead the constructors' championship with 264 points, well ahead of Red Bull on 158.

"It wasn't the easiest of races," said Hamilton. "It was a bit of a struggle, but nonetheless I think it was ok in the end."

At the British Grand Prix at the start of August, Hamilton had clung on to win after one of his tyres disintegrated.

"I was concerned that we'd have a scenario like Silverstone, but the tyre seemed to have quite a bit of rubber left on it at the finish."

Bottas admitted he could not match his team-mate's pace.

"The start was a good opportunity, but Lewis played it really well and I just couldn't catch him. In the same car, with Lewis driving a flawless race, it was really difficult."

Verstappen said he had a dull afternoon.&nbsp;

"It was pretty boring, not very interesting and not much to do," he said. "I ran out of tyre at the end so I was just stretching it out and saving the tyres."

Daniel Ricciardo produced the fastest lap on his final lap as he claimed fourth ahead of his Renault team-mate Esteban Ocon, and Alex Albon, in the second Red Bull.&nbsp;

Lando Norris was seventh in the sole McLaren.

Pierre Gasly finished eighth for Alpha Tauri ahead of the &nbsp;Racing Points of Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez. On a troubled weekend, last year's winner Charles Leclerc was 14th, one place behind outgoing Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

 
On a cool dry day in the Ardennes, the race was preceded by drama and ceremony with Carlos Sainz's McLaren suffering an exhaust failure that ruled him out and then a minute's silence, in memory of French F2 racer Anthoine Hubert, and the now-familiar drivers' anti-racism demonstration before the national anthem.

Hamilton made a smooth start from his record 93rd pole position ahead of Bottas while Verstappen fought to defend third position against Ricciardo.

Bottas chased Hamilton in vain, the champion controlling his advantage with imperious speed in the early laps as they pulled clear of the rest.

"We have one push now?" asked Bottas.&nbsp;

"Yes, but we agreed not to use it against each other," replied Mercedes.

"I've never heard of that," replied the clearly miffed Finn, who had said on Saturday that he would attack his team-mate to keep alive his own title bid.

The safety car came out on lap 11 after &nbsp;a collision involving Alfa Romeo's Antonio Giovinazzi and George Russell of Williams. The Italian spun into the barriers in front of the Briton whose car was hit by an errant rear wheel as he took evasive action.

The damaged cars left debris strewn across the circuit, but the drivers walked away unhurt.&nbsp;

"I'm ok," said Russell on team radio. "Nowhere I could go, guys."

The leaders pitted immediately, Bottas only just returning ahead of Verstappen after a slow stop. Ferrari appeared unready when Leclerc pitted, another issue in a bleak weekend that saw their drivers bump wheels in a scrap for 12th.

After the re-start, Bottas closed to nine-tenths briefly, on lap 17, but Hamilton raised his pace and was gone.

Lewis Hamilton stretched his lead in the drivers' world championship and closed to within two wins of Michael Schumacher's Formula One record of 91 on Sunday with a majestic, if ultimately tense, Belgian Grand Prix victory.

Lewis Hamilton stretched his lead in the drivers' world championship and closed to within two wins of Michael Schumacher's Formula One record of 91 on Sunday with a majestic, if ultimately tense, Belgian Grand Prix victory. The series leader and six-time champion registered his 89th career win with another flawless drive to take his fourth Belgian triumph, finishing 8.448 seconds clear of his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas. It was Hamilton's fifth win in seven races this year and extended his record run of points-scoring races to 40. Max Verstappen came third for Red Bull, seven seconds further adrift, to claim his sixth podium finish in succession. Hamilton, who had to nurse his car home on worn tyres, has 157 points in the title race, 47 clear of Verstappen. The 'black arrows' lead the constructors' championship with 264 points, well ahead of Red Bull on 158. "It wasn't the easiest of races," said Hamilton. "It was a bit of a struggle, but nonetheless I think it was ok in the end." At the British Grand Prix at the start of August, Hamilton had clung on to win after one of his tyres disintegrated. "I was concerned that we'd have a scenario like Silverstone, but the tyre seemed to have quite a bit of rubber left on it at the finish." Bottas admitted he could not match his team-mate's pace. "The start was a good opportunity, but Lewis played it really well and I just couldn't catch him. In the same car, with Lewis driving a flawless race, it was really difficult." Verstappen said he had a dull afternoon. "It was pretty boring, not very interesting and not much to do," he said. "I ran out of tyre at the end so I was just stretching it out and saving the tyres." Daniel Ricciardo produced the fastest lap on his final lap as he claimed fourth ahead of his Renault team-mate Esteban Ocon, and Alex Albon, in the second Red Bull. Lando Norris was seventh in the sole McLaren. Pierre Gasly finished eighth for Alpha Tauri ahead of the Racing Points of Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez. On a troubled weekend, last year's winner Charles Leclerc was 14th, one place behind outgoing Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel. On a cool dry day in the Ardennes, the race was preceded by drama and ceremony with Carlos Sainz's McLaren suffering an exhaust failure that ruled him out and then a minute's silence, in memory of French F2 racer Anthoine Hubert, and the now-familiar drivers' anti-racism demonstration before the national anthem. Hamilton made a smooth start from his record 93rd pole position ahead of Bottas while Verstappen fought to defend third position against Ricciardo. Bottas chased Hamilton in vain, the champion controlling his advantage with imperious speed in the early laps as they pulled clear of the rest. "We have one push now?" asked Bottas. "Yes, but we agreed not to use it against each other," replied Mercedes. "I've never heard of that," replied the clearly miffed Finn, who had said on Saturday that he would attack his team-mate to keep alive his own title bid. The safety car came out on lap 11 after a collision involving Alfa Romeo's Antonio Giovinazzi and George Russell of Williams. The Italian spun into the barriers in front of the Briton whose car was hit by an errant rear wheel as he took evasive action. The damaged cars left debris strewn across the circuit, but the drivers walked away unhurt. "I'm ok," said Russell on team radio. "Nowhere I could go, guys." The leaders pitted immediately, Bottas only just returning ahead of Verstappen after a slow stop. Ferrari appeared unready when Leclerc pitted, another issue in a bleak weekend that saw their drivers bump wheels in a scrap for 12th. After the re-start, Bottas closed to nine-tenths briefly, on lap 17, but Hamilton raised his pace and was gone.

Majestic Hamilton wins in Belgium to close in on Schumacher record

Anthoine Hubert's family and the motor sport world came together at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium on Sunday (September 1) to pay tribute to the French driver who was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-racer-anthoine-hubert-dies-after-formula-two-crash-organisers-246905">tragically killed at the circuit</a> during a race on Saturday (August 30).

Hubert was killed after a huge impact with the car of Juan Manuel Correa whilst travelling at around 170 miles per hour at the Raidillon swerves part of the circuit.

Hubert's mother and brother held the helmet of the 22-year-old during a minute's silence prior to the Formula Three race, as they were joined by drivers and manufacturers.

Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, who will start on pole for Sunday's Grand Prix, were in attendance alongside their Ferrari team.

Numerous drivers, including reigning Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, have expressed their condolences to Hubert and his family.

Hubert, who was part of the Renault F1 young driver programme, was taken to the medical centre after the crash but succumbed to his injuries.

Correa is in intensive care but his condition is stable.

A minute's silence will also be held prior to the F1 race, and a video of Hubert will be played around the circuit's big screens.

Anthoine Hubert's family and the motor sport world came together at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium on Sunday (September 1) to pay tribute to the French driver who was tragically killed at the circuit during a race on Saturday (August 30).

Anthoine Hubert's family and the motor sport world came together at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium on Sunday (September 1) to pay tribute to the French driver who was tragically killed at the circuit during a race on Saturday (August 30). Hubert was killed after a huge impact with the car of Juan Manuel Correa whilst travelling at around 170 miles per hour at the Raidillon swerves part of the circuit. Hubert's mother and brother held the helmet of the 22-year-old during a minute's silence prior to the Formula Three race, as they were joined by drivers and manufacturers. Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, who will start on pole for Sunday's Grand Prix, were in attendance alongside their Ferrari team. Numerous drivers, including reigning Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, have expressed their condolences to Hubert and his family. Hubert, who was part of the Renault F1 young driver programme, was taken to the medical centre after the crash but succumbed to his injuries. Correa is in intensive care but his condition is stable. A minute's silence will also be held prior to the F1 race, and a video of Hubert will be played around the circuit's big screens.

Family and motor racing teams pay tribute to Anthoine Hubert

Charles Leclerc set the pace ahead of teammate Sebastian Vettel to complete a practice clean sweep for Ferrari on Saturday even as championship leader Lewis Hamilton crashed.

The Monegasque, who was also fastest on the opening day of practice on Friday, lapped the 7-km long Spa-Francorchamps track in one minute, 44.206 seconds.

Vettel, hoping to end his victory drought that goes back to last year’s Belgian race, was 0.451 seconds off the pace.

Hamilton, who leads Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas by 62 points in the overall standings, ended his session in the barriers.

The 34-year-old’s car snapped out of control under braking for turn 12 and ploughed into the tyre wall.

Hamilton’s car sustained heavy damage, including a wrecked front suspension.

But a Mercedes spokesman said the team should be able to get the car repaired in time for qualifying.

With Hamilton out, it was left to Bottas to lead the Mercedes charge.

The Finn, confirmed alongside Lewis Hamilton at the world champion team for another year on Thursday, was third but nearly half a second off the pace.

Daniel Ricciardo was an impressive fourth for Renault ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Sergio Perez, fresh from signing a new three year deal with Racing Point, was sixth ahead of Hamilton, whose time before he crashed was good enough for seventh.

Kimi Raikkonen led Alfa Romeo teammate Antonio Giovinazzi in eighth.

Pierre Gasly, demoted from Red Bull to Toro Rosso, rounded out the top ten.

Ferrari, still hunting for their first win of the year, have struggled around twisty tracks this season.

But their car has been better suited to high-speed layouts like Spa, which will host Sunday’s race.

That track and Monza, where Ferrari’s home Italian Grand Prix will be held the week after, have been singled out as the two best opportunities for the team to shine.

Charles Leclerc set the pace ahead of teammate Sebastian Vettel to complete a practice clean sweep for Ferrari on Saturday even as championship leader Lewis Hamilton crashed.

Charles Leclerc set the pace ahead of teammate Sebastian Vettel to complete a practice clean sweep for Ferrari on Saturday even as championship leader Lewis Hamilton crashed. The Monegasque, who was also fastest on the opening day of practice on Friday, lapped the 7-km long Spa-Francorchamps track in one minute, 44.206 seconds. Vettel, hoping to end his victory drought that goes back to last year’s Belgian race, was 0.451 seconds off the pace. Hamilton, who leads Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas by 62 points in the overall standings, ended his session in the barriers. The 34-year-old’s car snapped out of control under braking for turn 12 and ploughed into the tyre wall. Hamilton’s car sustained heavy damage, including a wrecked front suspension. But a Mercedes spokesman said the team should be able to get the car repaired in time for qualifying. With Hamilton out, it was left to Bottas to lead the Mercedes charge. The Finn, confirmed alongside Lewis Hamilton at the world champion team for another year on Thursday, was third but nearly half a second off the pace. Daniel Ricciardo was an impressive fourth for Renault ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Sergio Perez, fresh from signing a new three year deal with Racing Point, was sixth ahead of Hamilton, whose time before he crashed was good enough for seventh. Kimi Raikkonen led Alfa Romeo teammate Antonio Giovinazzi in eighth. Pierre Gasly, demoted from Red Bull to Toro Rosso, rounded out the top ten. Ferrari, still hunting for their first win of the year, have struggled around twisty tracks this season. But their car has been better suited to high-speed layouts like Spa, which will host Sunday’s race. That track and Monza, where Ferrari’s home Italian Grand Prix will be held the week after, have been singled out as the two best opportunities for the team to shine.

Charles Leclerc completes Ferrari practice sweep, Hamilton crashes

Practice at Spa was brought to an abrupt halt on Saturday after Lewis Hamilton crashed his Mercedes into a wall.

The championship leader and defending five-time world champion was unhurt and climbed out of his car as the red flag came out to suspend the third free practice session.

Hamilton lost control of the car at high speed at the Les Fagnes chicane in a heavy collision with the tyre-protected barriers.

"I’m in the wall guys," said Hamilton. "Sorry."

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His car appeared to be badly damaged around the front and the left front wheel and looked as if it may need substantial repairs, or a chassis change, for the Briton to take part in qualifying scheduled for later on Saturday.

Hamilton was taken back to the paddock while the car was transported away on the back of an open truck which showed severe damage to both front wheels.

Practice at Spa was brought to an abrupt halt on Saturday after Lewis Hamilton crashed his Mercedes into a wall. The championship leader and defending five-time world champion was unhurt and climbed out of his car as the red flag came out to suspend the third free practice session.

Practice at Spa was brought to an abrupt halt on Saturday after Lewis Hamilton crashed his Mercedes into a wall. The championship leader and defending five-time world champion was unhurt and climbed out of his car as the red flag came out to suspend the third free practice session. Hamilton lost control of the car at high speed at the Les Fagnes chicane in a heavy collision with the tyre-protected barriers. "I’m in the wall guys," said Hamilton. "Sorry." The championship leader is out of the car and confirms he is ok following his crash at Turn 12 👍#F1 #BelgianGP 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/k4LotqdLD7 — Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2019 × His car appeared to be badly damaged around the front and the left front wheel and looked as if it may need substantial repairs, or a chassis change, for the Briton to take part in qualifying scheduled for later on Saturday. Hamilton was taken back to the paddock while the car was transported away on the back of an open truck which showed severe damage to both front wheels.

Lewis Hamilton crash causes red-flag stoppage at Spa practice

Sebastian Vettel topped the times ahead of his team-mate Charles Leclerc as Ferrari set the pace ahead of Red Bull in Friday morning's opening free practice at this weekend's Belgian Formula One Grand Prix.&nbsp;

The four-time world champion clocked a best lap in one minute and 44.574 seconds to outpace Leclerc by two-tenths of a second, a performance that supported Italian hopes that their team can enjoy success on the high-speed Ardennes circuit.&nbsp;

In front of thousands of his 'orange army' of Dutch supporters, Max Verstappen was third, just under a second adrift of the lead and less than one-tenth of a second ahead of his new Red Bull team-mate Alex Albon, who was making his debut with the team following promotion from Toro Rosso.

Valtteri Bottas, who celebrated his 30th birthday this week with confirmation of a Mercedes contract extension for 2020, was fifth ahead of championship leader and defending five-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

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CLASSIFICATION - END OF FP2 
 
Another 1-2 for <a href="https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScuderiaFerrari</a> - but this time it's <a href="https://twitter.com/Charles_Leclerc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Charles_Leclerc</a> on top 
 
Hat-tip to <a href="https://twitter.com/SChecoPerez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SChecoPerez</a> - although his session ends with what looked like overheating issues<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BelgianGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BelgianGP</a> 🇧🇪 <a href="https://t.co/aJdlW8CWsH">pic.twitter.com/aJdlW8CWsH</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1167445762243989504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Both men were running Mercedes' upgraded power-unit for the first time, and Hamilton struggled with various issues including a throttle pedal problem and over-heating tyres in a frustrating session that saw him returning to the pits at regular intervals for adjustments and minor repairs.

Canadian Lance Stroll was seventh for Racing Point ahead of Daniel Ricciardo of Renault, Sergio Perez in the second Racing Point and Carlos Sainz of McLaren.

The session was run in mild and dry conditions with few interruptions apart from a brief use of the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) after the engine cover flew off Stroll's car on the Kemmel Straight and a spin for Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat.

Sebastian Vettel topped the times ahead of his team-mate Charles Leclerc as Ferrari set the pace ahead of Red Bull in Friday morning's opening free practice at this weekend's Belgian Formula One Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel topped the times ahead of his team-mate Charles Leclerc as Ferrari set the pace ahead of Red Bull in Friday morning's opening free practice at this weekend's Belgian Formula One Grand Prix. The four-time world champion clocked a best lap in one minute and 44.574 seconds to outpace Leclerc by two-tenths of a second, a performance that supported Italian hopes that their team can enjoy success on the high-speed Ardennes circuit. In front of thousands of his 'orange army' of Dutch supporters, Max Verstappen was third, just under a second adrift of the lead and less than one-tenth of a second ahead of his new Red Bull team-mate Alex Albon, who was making his debut with the team following promotion from Toro Rosso. Valtteri Bottas, who celebrated his 30th birthday this week with confirmation of a Mercedes contract extension for 2020, was fifth ahead of championship leader and defending five-time champion Lewis Hamilton. CLASSIFICATION - END OF FP2 Another 1-2 for @ScuderiaFerrari - but this time it's @Charles_Leclerc on top Hat-tip to @SChecoPerez - although his session ends with what looked like overheating issues#F1 #BelgianGP 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/aJdlW8CWsH — Formula 1 (@F1) August 30, 2019 × Both men were running Mercedes' upgraded power-unit for the first time, and Hamilton struggled with various issues including a throttle pedal problem and over-heating tyres in a frustrating session that saw him returning to the pits at regular intervals for adjustments and minor repairs. Canadian Lance Stroll was seventh for Racing Point ahead of Daniel Ricciardo of Renault, Sergio Perez in the second Racing Point and Carlos Sainz of McLaren. The session was run in mild and dry conditions with few interruptions apart from a brief use of the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) after the engine cover flew off Stroll's car on the Kemmel Straight and a spin for Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat.

Vettel leads the way as Ferrari dominate opening practice in Belgium

Lewis Hamilton completed his 200th Grand Prix in victorious style on Sunday when he claimed a much-needed win for Mercedes to trim Sebastian Vettel&rsquo;s championship lead to seven points.

The 32-year-old Briton made the most of his record-equalling 68th pole position to take the lead, but had to survive some concerted attacks from Vettel&rsquo;s Ferrari before emerging triumphant for the fifth time this season.

It was the three-time world champion&rsquo;s third Belgian victory and the 58th of his career, lifting him back into serious contention for the title.

Another victory in next Sunday&rsquo;s Italian Grand Prix could give him the lead for the first time this year.

Four-time champion Vettel came home second ahead of Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull, Finn Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari and his compatriot Valtteri Bottas in the second Mercedes.

Nico Hulkenberg finished sixth for Renault ahead of Romain Grosjean of Haas, Felipe Massa of Williams, Esteban Ocon of Force India with in 10th place, Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso.

Lewis Hamilton claimed a much-needed win for Mercedes to trim Sebastian Vettel?s championship lead to 7 points

Lewis Hamilton completed his 200th Grand Prix in victorious style on Sunday when he claimed a much-needed win for Mercedes to trim Sebastian Vettel’s championship lead to seven points. The 32-year-old Briton made the most of his record-equalling 68th pole position to take the lead, but had to survive some concerted attacks from Vettel’s Ferrari before emerging triumphant for the fifth time this season. It was the three-time world champion’s third Belgian victory and the 58th of his career, lifting him back into serious contention for the title. Another victory in next Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix could give him the lead for the first time this year. Four-time champion Vettel came home second ahead of Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull, Finn Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari and his compatriot Valtteri Bottas in the second Mercedes. Nico Hulkenberg finished sixth for Renault ahead of Romain Grosjean of Haas, Felipe Massa of Williams, Esteban Ocon of Force India with in 10th place, Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso.

Lewis Hamilton marks 200th race with Belgium Grand Prix win