28/08/2021
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's qualifying session the air temperature is 14.5 degrees C, while the track temperature is 17.4 degrees C.
If you thought conditions were difficult earlier, they have very much deteriorated over the break.
Max Verstappen was quickest earlier but in all honesty such are the conditions it is almost impossible to anticipate what we might expect over the next hour.
And therein lies the fun, for as much as Ross Brawn and his buddies seek to spice thing up with gimmicks, it is only the likes of the Weather Gods who can throw the genuine surprise.
Behind the usual suspects this morning, we had Norris, Ocon, Stroll, Gasly, Vettel, Russell, Alonso, Bottas, Latifi, Ricciardo, Sainz, Schumacher, Leclerc, and Tsunoda, imagine that line-up tomorrow afternoon.
While there was rain for much of the two hours since this morning's session, with around half-an-hour to go it eased, then stopped. For a brief moment the sun appeared, only to disappear again.
They are playing with us... let's just hope it is worth it.
To recap, Bottas and Stroll both have penalties following their silliness in Hungary, while Hamilton is running a much fatter rear wing than his teammate. At Ferrari, Leclerc is running a new chassis after damaging his previous car in FP2 yesterday.
In the moments before Q1 it begins to rain again... and it's heavy. Indeed, the start of the session delayed.
Twelve minutes later than originally scheduled the lights go green. There is already a queue of cars at the end of the pitlane.
As they head out, Russell is told there will not be any further rain for the next 15 minutes. All are sporting full wets bar the Williams pair who are on Inters.
Benefitting from the fact that he is in clear air, Russell is setting a blistering pace on his Inters until he comes across his teammate who has spun at Turn 12, thereby bringing out the yellows.
Russell subsequently crosses the line at 2:11.727. Gasly and Hamilton both go quicker, but only just so perhaps it is already time to switch to the green-banded rubber.
Perez posts 2:10.135 with teammate Verstappen posting a 2:07.574 moments later.
However, on a clean lap Russell posts a 2:02.068 while Latifi goes second with a 2:05.019.
"We're going to box at the end of this lap because the Inters have posted the fastest time," Perez is advised.
Wobbles for Hamilton and Verstappen.
Perez isn't the only one who pits, for with an eye on the Williams pace almost everyone switches to the Inters.
Advised to switch to Inters, Alonso responds: "Wait!" The Spaniard is currently ninth.
Indeed, Bottas is advised that "rain in imminent".
On Inters, Ocon goes third with a 2:03.650.
Sainz goes quickest in S1, but Russell goes quicker. As does Russell.
With 5:10 remeining, all are on Inters.
Sainz goes quickest (2:02.057), but is eclipsed by Perez and then Ricciardo.
Leclerc goes top with a 2:01.485, but Russell and then Verstappen go quicker.
The timing screen lights up like a bagatelle, as Norris goes quickest.
Hamilton improves to fourth with a 2:00.561, while Bottas can only manage seventh (2:01.646).
Schumacher goes 15th, while both Aston Martin drivers are in the drop zone.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1 as Stroll improves to ninth.
Despite a lock-up at the chicane Hamilton improves to second with a 59.218.
A late effort sees Vettel improve to ninth with a 2:01.411.
Ricciardo improves to 12th but is it enough.
A 58.717 sees Verstappen go top, only to be beaten by Norris who stops the clock at 58.301.
Tsunoda fails to improve as do the Alfa Romeo pair.
Perez goes fourth and Vettel seventh in the final moments.
Quickest is Norris, ahead of Verstappen, Hamilton, Perez, Russell, Bottas, Vettel, Gasly, Leclerc and Latifi.
We lose Giovinazzi, Tsunoda, Schumacher, Raikkonen and Mazepin.
With an eye on the sky the drivers are lined up in the pitlane for Q2, Inters are the order of the day.
Sainz is advised that rain will arrive five minutes into the session. All are on new Inters bar the Mercedes pair who have opted for used rubber.
However, Hamilton is subsequently told to pit for new Inters.
"There's rain coming," Perez is told, "we want a banker lap."
Like Russell in Q1, Norris takes full advantage of the fact that he is in clear air. He crosses the line at 57.235, while Russell responds with a 58.698.
Gasly goes second and Sainz fourth, while Ocon is still sub two minutes.
Ricciardo can only manage fifth, 1.758s off his teammate's pace.
A 57.866 sees Vettel go second.
Verstappen goes second and Perez fifth, leaving the Mercedes pair as the only drivers still to post a time.
Having gone quickest in S1, Hamilton subsequently backs off as does teammate Bottas, they post 2:08.935 and 2:11.580 respectively. Could it be raining again?
Next time around Hamilton posts 58.539 to go 7th while Bottas can only manage ninth (58.767).
With 5:15 remaining, Stroll, Sainz, Latifi, Ocon and Alonso comprise the drop zone.
Sainz goes quickest in S1 and Verstappen in S2.
Verstappen goes quickest as Stroll improves to 6th. Perez subsequently goes third and Sainz 7th.
Hamilton and Bottas both pit for fresh Inters, the Briton currently 10th and the Finn 12th.
Leclerc goes fourth and thereby demotes Hamilton into the drop zone.
The stewards have noted an incident involving Sainz and Ocon at the chicane.
"We need this lap," Hamilton is told.
Vettel goes quickest in S1, as the Mercedes pair begin their final flying laps. The German subsequently goes second.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1, while Norris sets the pace in S2.
Latifi improves to ninth, as Norris goes top with a 56.025.
A 56.229 sees Hamilton go second, while Bottas goes third (56.295).
A late improvement from Ocon is bad news for Leclerc, as Ricciardo and Russell make late improvements.
"That was way too close," admits Hamilton.
Quickest is Norris, ahead of Hamilton, Bottas, Gasly, Verstappen, Vettel, Perez, Russell, Ricciardo and Ocon.
We lose Leclerc, Latifi, Sainz, Alonso and Stroll.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Spa, here.
In the moments before Q3 it begins to rain again.
Norris heads out on full wets, as does Vettel, while Gasly, Russell and Ricciardo are on Inters.
Signs of panic in the Mercedes garage where there is a last minute change of tyres.
"They should red flag, too much water," warns Vettel.
"Quite a bit of aquaplaning," adds Norris.
The session is indeed red-flagged but only after Norris has crashed at Eau Rouge.
As the youngster sits in his car, Vettel slows alongside to check that the McLaren driver is OK.
"What the f***, what did I say, what did I say," shouts Vettel, "red flag, red flag, unnecessary."
Asked if he is alright, Norris says yes, but is clearly winded... to say the very least.
Three corners of the car have been ripped off in what was a violent impact.
Norris climbs from what remains of his car unaided and is guided to the medical car.
As the rain ease, the safety car heads out to check the conditions. However, standing water suggests it could be some time before the session resumes.
The all-clear is finally given and the session will resume at 16:45 (local time) - whereas, under normal circumstances, it would have ended at just after 16:00.
The rain has stopped but it still remains very wet. There is 8:58 remaining.
Ocon heads down the pitlane on full wets, the get the session back underway. He is subsequently followed by Russell, then the Mercedes pair.
The Bulls and Mercedes drivers are on Inters.
"There's still a lot of spray," warns Hamilton. "If you're not comfortable come back in," he is told.
"No rain forecast," Hamilton is advised.
Ocon posts 50.6 in S1, Hamilton 34.0. Verstappen responds with a 33.7.
A massive wobble for Hamilton in Pouhon, as Verstappen continues to set a blistering pace.
Ocon has pitted for Inters.
Hamilton posts a 2:01.552, while Bottas posts a 2:03.093.
Vettel posts 2:03.321 while Verstappen goes second with a 2:02.525, 0.973s off Hamilton's pace.
Gasly goes fifth, ahead of Ricciardo. Perez subsequently splits the two.
The Mexican improves to second with a 2:02.112 as Russell goes quickest in S1.
Ocon goes seventh, as Hamilton and Verstappen begin their final laps.
Russell is quickest in S1, but Hamilton goes quicker.
Russell crosses the line at 2:00.086 to take provisional pole. Hamilton improves but it isn't enough to eclipse the Williams driver.
They think it's all over, it was once said, and the crowd erupts as Verstappen bangs in a 59.765 to break a million British hearts.
A late improvement sees Ricciardo go fourth, ahead of Vettel, while Bottas can only manage eighth... and let's not forget that grid penalty.
To recap, Verstappen is quickest, ahead of Russell, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Vettel, Gasly, Perez, Bottas, Ocon and Norris.
Leclerc is eleventh, ahead of Latifi, Sainz, Alonso, Stroll, Giovinazzi, Tsunoda, Schumacher, Raikkonen and Mazepin.
Quite what Ross will make of that one doesn't know, but it is doubtful that his beloved Sprint will ever create quite the same drama.
Thanks to the conditions we almost had one of the biggest upsets of the year and as it stands there's a Williams back on the front row.
Whatever the politics of the Mercedes choice of line-up for 2022, today Russell has served notice that he's ready to step up and if the big team can't take him then it's probably best to set him free.
And just in case Toto didn't get Russell's message, Bottas can only mange 8th, which means he'll start 13th tomorrow.
Other than Russell, we have Ricciardo and Vettel starting from the first three rows, while the Ferraris are 11th and 13th.
None of which should distract us from the lesson that must be learned from this afternoon.
The briefest of glimpses at social media suggests the usual suspects are up in arms, but the fact is that motor racing is, was and always shall be dangerous.
However, as the saying goes, those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.
When Vettel, the director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association calls for a session to be red-flagged his advice should be heeded. The man has four titles to his name, and 268 starts.
Despite what some may say, this remains a sport as opposed to entertainment. However, other than the obvious risks our heroes take into stepping into these machines in the first place, we do not wish them to face any more danger than is necessary.
Allowing the session to continue in such conditions, against the advice of those taking part, and with recent events at the very same corner still fresh in our memories, was totally wrong.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Spa, here.