Summary

  • Lando Norris fastest in second practice at Spa-Francorchamps

  • Max Verstappen sets best time in first practice but given 10-place grid penalty for taking new power unit

  • Yuki Tsunoda to start at back of grid after changing "multiple engine components"

  • Alpine announce Bruno Famin will move away team principal role

Live Reporting

Tasnim Chowdhury

  1. 'Verstappen will have big challenges to overcome'

    Rosanna Tennant
    5 Live F1 reporter in Spa

    It's definitely not guaranteed that Max Verstappen will come through the field on Sunday.

    I'm not expecting him to, he'll have some big challenges to overcome to get on the podium.

    It'll be a big and tricky weekend for Verstappen.

  2. Sergio Perez has called in to his Red Bull team.

    "I'm really struggling to know what the car is doing on entries," he says.

    Perez is currently in seventh, 0.957 seconds behind team-mate Max Verstappen.

  3. Fernando Alonso is on the hard tyres, while Pierre Gasly is on the medium compound.

    Everyone else has a set of the shiny red soft tyres. Fast laps to come.

  4. It might be a tough race for Max Verstappen if he wants to add to his consecutive wins in Belgium.

    But right now, he tops the leaderboard.

  5. Grid penalty for Verstappen after engine change
    Breaking

    Max VerstappenReuters

    It's just become a whole lot harder for Max Verstappen to claim that fourth successive victory at the Belgian Grand Prix.

    He has been given a 10-place grid penalty for an engine change - taking him beyond the permitted number of engines.

    It was expected (see 12:22 post) but is still a big early twist for the weekend.

    Yuki Tsunoda has also taken a penalty and will start at the back of the grid on Sunday.

  6. We are following along George Russell on his fast lap. Can he get to the top of the leaderboard?

    That's a yes. Russell's lap time is now 1:43.372.

  7. Max Verstappen has had three consecutive wins at the Belgium Grand Prix.

    He clamed victory in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

    Will he add another to his list this year?

  8. Fans in Belgium

    The fans have arrived in Spa, decked out in their merchandise, signs and cardboard cut-outs of the drivers.

    I absolutely love a handmade sign.

    f1 fans in SpaGetty Images
    f1 fansGetty Images
    fans in spaGetty Images

  9. Top 5

    1. Max Verstappen

    2. George Russell

    3. Lewis Hamilton

    4. Oscar Piastri

    5. Charles Leclerc

    Verstappen is on the hard tyres, everyone else has the medium compounds bolted on.

  10. It's not looking good for Alpine. Last week Pierre Gasly had to retire from the race after a hydraulics issue.

  11. Suspected water leak on Ocon's car

    Rosanna Tennant is now reporting that Alpine are looking into a suspected water leak on Esteban Ocon's car.

    So the Haas-bound Frenchman could be in the garage for a while yet...

  12. Charles Leclerc's engineer was on the radio to send the driver some information, but Lelcerc is too busy. "Don't speak in fast laps" he says.

    Full focus mode.

  13. 'Lost opportunity' for Ocon and Alpine

    Rosanna Tennant
    5 Live F1 reporter in Spa

    Esteban Ocon's car is being worked on in the garage.

    There's a little bit of work going on.

    Maybe they weren't happy with their initial setup - but this is a lost opportunity for him and Alpine to explore this incredible track.

  14. The Mercedes look in good form. George Russell was making his way around the circuit and managed to set the second fastest lap, his team-mate Lewis Hamilton drops down to third.

  15. 'Conditions steadily improving'

    Ian Fergusson
    BBC weather forecaster

    Air temp at Spa is 21C & track 33C. Conditions have steadily improved after rain earlier in the morning; currently dry and no showers in vicinity.

    FIA forecast guidance to teams suggests a 40% shower chance for rest of today.

  16. SpaGetty Images

    Oscar Piastri is up in second, he is seven tenths of a second behind Max Verstappen.

    Followed by team-mate Lando Norris, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton.

    They all have the medium compounds bolted on.

  17. The TV cameras are showing the Alpine garage, where Esteban Ocon's car is having work done to it.

    Will the French driver be back on the circuit for the rest of first practice?

  18. 'All hatchets buried at McLaren'

    Rebecca Clancy
    F1 journalist on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    McLaren have come into Spa this weekend absolutely adamant that all hatches have been buried, all conversations have been had and all are on the same page.

    It was a mess, they managed to make a win look like a loss.

    McLaren need to be saying to Red Bull that they're coming for both the drivers' and constructers' titles, and show that ambition, but it doesn't quite feel like they're playing it right.

  19. Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo also have hard tyres bolted on.

  20. Max Verstappen has taken his car to the top of the leaderboard.

    He's set at time of 1:44.706, on the hard tyres.