Verstappen dominates wet Belgian GP practice despite ride crash

In a rain-soaked final practice session at the Belgian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen emerged fastest, while Aston Martin's Lance Stroll suffered a major crash in the difficult conditions. Practice at Spa-Francorchamps was interrupted for more than 10 minutes when Stroll lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the Eau Rouge barrier. Despite the weather, Verstappen managed to set a time of 2:01.565, almost 20 seconds slower than the fastest lap recorded on Friday in dry conditions. That put the Red Bull driver 1.4 ahead of Oscar Piastri, with Piastri's McLaren teammate Lando Norris finishing fourth.

Norris had to change the flooring on his car after skidding on the gravel moments before Stroll's crash. Friday's dry race hinted at another clash between Verstappen and the McLarens. However, Verstappen will face a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday's race due to exceeding his engine capacity for the season. Verstappen currently holds a 76-point lead over Norris in the drivers' standings, while McLaren aims to further reduce Red Bull's 51-point lead in the Constructors' Championship.

The forecast for continued rain throughout Saturday suggests a very unpredictable qualifying phase. However, patience may be required if the weather worsens and causes further delays. The Practice Three time sheet was difficult to interpret due to the limited running time and progressively worsening conditions. The session was halted for nine minutes after Stroll's crash, after which the rain intensified, discouraging drivers from returning to the track.

With 25 minutes remaining in the session, the race director deemed the track unsafe to run on. The cars were allowed back on track for the final two minutes of the session as the rain eased, but were unable to set any further lap times. The danger of returning to the track was highlighted when Ferrari's Carlos Sainz narrowly avoided hitting a barrier after hitting the gravel. Lewis Hamilton, who had earlier suggested the rain could push Mercedes to the front, was ninth, five seconds behind Verstappen. Hamilton's teammate George Russell did not set a time. Formula 1 action continues this weekend with the final race before F1's summer break, the Belgian Grand Prix.