Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 19 degrees C, while the track temperature is 23 degrees. As expected the weather is somewhat different to yesterday, and while it isn't raining at present it has rained for much of the morning with more downpours expected throughout the day.

To further complicate matter tomorrow is expected to be dry, which will present the teams with a nightmare in turns of setting up for a wet qualifying and dry race.

McLaren were the pace-setters yesterday, ahead of Max Verstappen. However, the Dutchman takes a 10-place grid drop after taking on a new ICE, which is good news for Ferrari which looked stronger on Friday. Mercedes, on the other hand, struggled.

That said, it is understood that in a bid to turn things around the German team has returned to its old floor.

Ahead of the green light it is spitting...

As the lights turn green Verstappen is first out, followed by Bottas. The Dutchman is on Inters while the Finn is on full wets. Inters for Ricciardo, Gasly and Piastri also.

"We have a big chunk of rain coming in five to ten minutes," Ricciardo is warned.

Verstappen and Piastri both run wide at different parts of the track as the rain intensifies.

Verstappen posts a benchmark 2:03.232.

"I feel like I'm losing hydraulics, the steering's heavy," reports Ricciardo.

Piastri posts a 4.946 and Gasly 5.625.

Verstappen improves to 1.565 and Piastri to 2.998 as the rain gets harder. Piastri is warned it will continue for ten minutes.

A number of drivers failed to get out before the conditions worsened, among them the Mercedes pair.

Gasly is currently third, ahead of Norris, Ocon, Bottas, Leclerc and Pere.

"Something still feels weird," reports Ricciardo as Norris goes off at Les Combes.

Such are the conditions that Russell pits without posting a time, however teammate Hamilton posts a 6.751 to go ninth.

The session is red-flagged after Stroll hits the barrier at Raidillon.

"I crashed," he tells his team, the front left corner of his car clearly damaged.

"Lance had an incident in the rain in FP3," reports Aston Martin. "He got out of the car unaided and has been taken by the medical car to the medical centre for routine precautionary checks."

The session resumes but as the rain continues to fall there is no rush back to work.

As the rain intensifies, Magnussen and Sainz are the only drivers that haven't been out.

Even though there is nobody on track, the session is red-flagged again with 25 minutes still remaining.

To alleviate the boredom, the fans in the grandstands are doing Mexico waves.

With no sign of the rain abating, the DJ pumps up the volume and the crowd dances.

Hard to believe but the session resumes with just 2 minutes of running... bear in mind, the fastest lap currently stands at 2:01.565.

Sainz lead the way, followed by Magnussen, Hulkenberg, Bottas and Ocon. All are on full wets.

Sainz goes off at Turn 8 but is able to continue.

"There's too much water," warns Ocon.

Only eight or so cars went out and as the session officially ends they head back to the pits.

Verstappen is quickest, ahead of Piastri, Gasly, Norris, Ocon, Leclerc, Stroll, Bottas, Hamilton and Perez.

Albon is eleventh, ahead of Hulkenberg, Alonso, Ricciardo, Tsunoda, Zhou, Sargeant and Magnussen.