Francesca Gunn: I’m nervous, why am I nervous! Hamilton is gonna do it I know it, but still nervous.

Herman Stone: Come on Max!!!

Formation lap time, with the remaining 19 cars - minus Carlos Sainz - taking part.

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Renault)
5. Alexander Albon (Red Bull)
6. Esteban Ocon (Renault)
7. Carlos Sainz (McLaren. Will not start because of an exhaust issue)
8. Sergio Perez (Racing Point)
9. Lance Stroll (Racing Point)
10. Lando Norris (McLaren)
11. Daniil Kvyat (Alpha Tauri)
12. Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri)
13. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
14. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
15. George Russell (Williams)
16. Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo)
17. Romain Grosjean (Haas)
18. Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo)
19. Nicholas Latifi (Williams)
20. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton has 88 victories from 256 race starts. He is now just three short of Michael Schumacher’s record 91.

Hamilton is hoping to get his fifth win this season in the seventh grand prix of 2020.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

McLaren clarify that Sainz's failure was a "power-unit issue that led to an exhaust failure". They will investigate further after the race.

A reminder of how the Spa-Francorchamps circuit is set up.

Image source, .

Here's what Pirelli say. They predict 20 laps on the mediums for the starting top three and then moving on to the hard for the final 24 laps.

For those on the softs, expect some pit stops at the lap 18 mark and then jumping on to the mediums.

Well, that's the theory anyway.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Reuters

If it stays dry, this is likely to be a one-stop race for most. And all the tyres are considered good race tyres. The benefit of starting on the mediums - as are the Mercedes drivers and Max Verstappen - is not so much on overall race lap time, more that the extra durability buys that team flexibility on strategy, because they can run longer to the stop if rain is threatening.

As for the forecast, this is Spa, so there is no certainty. Some forecasts are showing an 80% possibility of rain; others say it won’t rain at all, or that if it does, it will be light and late in the race. Safety car possibility is high. And pit-stop time loss is low, at 18 seconds in race conditions, 11 under safety car.

Image source, Getty Images

Charles Leclerc secured his maiden Formula 1 win in Belgium last year, winning from pole position.

However, getting pole at Spa isn't a guaranteed victory. Of the last 18 races here, half have been won from right at the front of the grid.

Michael Schumacher holds the record for most wins at Spa with six.

He won from 16th on the grid in the wet at the 1995 race. He was with Benetton at the time, as he was for his first Belgian win in 1992.

His last four successes - 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2002 - came in Ferrari colours.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton is favourite to win today and has triumphed in Belgium three times previously - 2010, 2015 and 2017.

However, he isn't the most successful current driver at Spa. That honour falls to Kimi Raikkonen, who has four race wins in Belgium - although his last was over a decade ago (2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009).

A beautiful performance of the Belgian national anthem then follows.

Now all the Formula 1 personnel take part in a minute's silence, remembering Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert, who sadly died in an F2 race at Spa last year.

There is a huge picture of Hubert on the ground, with all the drivers standing around the image.

The Formula 1 drivers now make their now-regular stance in the fight against racism with a video played with messages from all the drivers saying to end racism.

As always in 2020, some drivers 'take the knee' while seven of them remain standing.

Bob: Aaahhh extremely disappointed result for McLaren before the races even starts. Not more reliability issues...

Kayleigh: McLaren fully on board the struggle bus.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Press the play button at the top right now as our excellent commentary team of Jack Nicholls, Jolyon Palmer, Jennie Gow and Andrew Benson are in position to bring you all the action.

We're also live on BBC Radio 5 Live. if you wish to listen via there too.

This is why Carlos Sainz is out of the race, before it starts. An exhaust failure ends his afternoon.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, EPA

Max Verstappen was oh so close to splitting the Mercedes in qualifying, just 0.015 seconds off Valtteri Bottas’ time. The Dutchman, who has beaten the Finn in the last four races, clearly has hopes of doing so again, but Hamilton he feels may be too far out of reach. “If you look at the lap time difference to Lewis I don’t think we suddenly in a race can start to fight him.

Verstappen said. There is the possibility of rain, though, to spice things up. Verstappen said: “Dry or wet it won’t make a difference, the result will be pretty similar. (But) around here you never know, with the weather as well, I hope that will come into play it makes it a bit more difficult for everyone, and it’s a bit more fun as well, especially on this track. If there’s a bit of weather around it’s a lot of fun."