Twenty-five minutes left, Raikkonen, Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Verstappen, Ricciardo give the top six a familiar feel to it. Less than one tenth between those top three though so once again qualifying could well be exciting.

Said that a few times this year, and almost every time Hamilton then finds something special up his sleeve to snatch pole.

Charles Leclerc, still dreaming of that Ferrari move, is seventh, best of the rest and another cracking drive.

Now, what clown predicted Leclerc to be bottom of the standings this season back in March? Guilty as charged.

Image source, Getty Images

Still some moody looking clouds overhead. Always a big fan of some rain to spice up qualifying. Maybe, just maybe that will be coming our way later on.

Fernando Alonso has just overshot turn five - he just basically ignores the corner, going straight on, but no harm done.

Meanwhile Lance Stroll is not too happy with his rear tyres. Of the 19 to have set a lap, McLaren are 18th and 19th, clearly not getting that miracle Vandoorne was calling for. Williams are 16th and 17th, again praying for a miracle.

Hulkenberg the only one to have not bothered to set a time so far. Although he has managed to annoy both Ferrari drivers by getting in their way earlier on.

Image source, Rex Features

Jennie Gow, Andrew Benson, Jack Nicholls and Jolyon Palmer are getting a bit cosy in a pretty small commentary box.

Listen along to all their hard work by pressing the play button at the top.

Jacqui Baker-Stubbs: Can we talk @LandoNorris, external... Do you think he’ll take over from @svandoorne, external? Also, what about @OconEsteban, external? Please tell me he is likely to get a seat somewhere for 2019. He’s a quiet achiever in my eyes.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Red Bull have fallen away this season, even from their early season promise. They have never troubled the front in qualifying, now they are just on the back foot all the time.

They are just struggling quite a lot.

Daniel Ricciardo finally gets a time on the board, but it is not much to get excited about. 1:45.242 is nearly two seconds slower than Kimi Raikkonen, who for the second session in a row is at the top with half an hour to go.

Image source, Getty Images

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

A lot of drivers have been leaving it, letting the others clean up the track after that early rain.

No times yet from the Red Bulls yet, if you're wondering where they have vanished to.

1. Raikkonen 1:43.425
2. Hamilton 1:43.523
3. Bottas 1:43.850
4. Vettel 1:43.869
5. Ocon 1:46.000
6. Grosjean 1:46.066
7. Gasly 1:46.182
8. Sainz 1:46.319
9. Magnussen 1:46.443
10. Hartley 1:46.603

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Spa

Sergio Perez put in perhaps the most impressive performance of Friday for the reconstituted Force India team. They have always tended to go well at Spa so to see him best of the rest was not a huge surprise.

But he was a massive 0.8 seconds clear of the next man in the midfield group, Renault’s Carlos Sainz. “The car felt very good and I’m happy with the balance,” the Mexican said. “It’s probably the best balance we have had all year. So there is the potential for a strong weekend, regardless of what the weather does.”

Image source, Getty Images

You can listen to Jolyon (in his socks) along with the rest of the 5 live team by pressing play at the top now.

Wonder what Mr P is ranting about? Well, this...

Fernando Alonso wants Red Bull to apologise after they denied his claim they offered him a drive for 2019. The 37-year-old said Red Bull approached him about the seat being vacated by Daniel Ricciardo, who is joining Renault.

But two-time world champion Alonso has since said he would be leaving Formula 1 at the end of the season, with Pierre Gasly moving to Red Bull instead.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said the team "offered Fernando a contract in the past but that was back in 2007". However, Alonso later claimed he had offers from Red Bull six times in his career.

"I had a couple of offers from Red Bull," Alonso told Sky F1. "In fact I had one in 2007, in 2009, in 2011, 2013, and two this year, one in Monaco, and one in August. "The comments of Christian Horner this summer and Mr Marko are completely out of context, surprise comments about me creating chaos and being a difficult man to work with.

"One, they never worked with me, and secondly they've been chasing me for five or six occasions in the last seven years, and now they say that, that they are loyal to their programme and their commitments and their junior drivers. "It has been weird, it has been unfair to me. I wrote to Christian after his comments this summer, he apologised by email, and hopefully he'll apologise again this weekend."

Image source, EPA

RantingMrP: Alonso's bizarre spat with Red Bull and his refusal to let the issue die demonstrates, one last time, just how toxic he is and why no top F1 team wants anything to do with him. Brilliant in the car, he is always very bad for team morale.

And that Ferrari pairing are first and second, despite some random blocking by Nico Hulkenberg, who manages to annoy both Ferrari drivers in successive laps.

Clearly not too happy at that driver penalty, is the Hulk.

Raikkonen leads the way with a 1:43.425, compared to Vettel's 1:43.869. Forty-five minutes to go.

Image source, Getty Images

By the way, in case you missed it, both Valtteri Bottas and Nico Hulkenberg are set to start at the back tomorrow for engine penalties.

You may remember Bottas getting a bit stroppy at being called "a wing man" after the Hungarian Grand Prix, which Lewis Hamilton won. But Hamilton will have to go it alone this weekend and try to hold off the double teaming of Ferrari.

Image source, F1

McLaren one and two, by default. Vandoorne sends in a 1:47.163. Nico Hulkenberg has just gone out there to ruin the McLaren party.

Image source, Getty Images

Two McLarens get straight out there. Fernando Alonso has a lap of 1:47.202, Vandoorne made a mess of his first lap with a 2:06.382.

Max Verstappen has never finished higher than eighth at Spa in three attempts. These fans will go crazy if he does well tomorrow.