First Free Practice Report & Results 2023 Belgian F1 Grand Prix
Event: Belgian Grand Prix
Track: Spa-Francorchamps Circuit
Weather: wet 18°C
Tarmac: wet 22°C
Humidity : 94%
Wind : 2.0 km/h SE
Pressure: 962 mbar
Soggy Start to the 2023 Belgian F1 Grand Prix: FP1 Summary
The highly anticipated First Free Practice (FP1) session for the 2023 Belgian F1 Grand Prix got underway at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, but the weather gods had a different plan. Heavy rain and treacherous track conditions limited the teams' running, making the session a challenging one for all.
Mercedes and Alpine Encounter Setbacks
For Mercedes, the FP1 session served as an opportunity to test different rear wings on their two cars. Meanwhile, Alpine was in need of data on their new floor. Unfortunately, both teams faced limited running due to the inclement weather, leaving them with fewer laps than they had hoped for.
Sainz Tops the Charts in Torrential Rain
Despite the adverse conditions, it was Carlos Sainz of Ferrari who excelled in the wet and topped the timesheets. Sainz set an impressive lap time of 2 minutes and 03.207 seconds, securing a commanding lead of six tenths ahead of Oscar Piastri in second place. Lando Norris of McLaren trailed in third, 1.277 seconds off Sainz's pace.
Rain Reigns Supreme: Limited Running and Red Flags
With the rain pouring down, most teams opted to sit out the session, saving their valuable set-up optimizations for the following sessions. Only seven cars ventured onto the track, with the others choosing to stay in the garage. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, the dominant force in F1, was one of those who abstained from on-track action during FP1.
The Forecast: Rain for Qualifying, Hope for Sunday
As for the weather forecast for the weekend, it predicted rain continuing into the qualifying session and even the Sprint Shootout on Saturday. However, there was a glimmer of hope, as conditions were expected to ease and potentially dry up later on Sunday for the Grand Prix.
FP1's Results Won't Set the Grid
In an unprecedented decision, the FIA informed the teams that the results from FP1 would not be used to set the grid for either the Sprint or the Grand Prix. This decision aimed to prevent teams from treating the practice session as a competitive one, given the unpredictable weather conditions.
Verstappen's Potential Gearbox Penalty
Rumors circulated in the paddock that Max Verstappen might incur a grid penalty for the Grand Prix due to a potential gearbox change. However, there was no official confirmation at the time of the report.
Challenge Ahead: Reading the Conditions
As teams and drivers faced the challenge of interpreting the ever-changing weather, the ability to read and adapt to the conditions would be crucial in determining their success throughout the weekend.
The quickest sector times during this wet FP1 were:
- 34.045 sec. by Carlos Sainz with the Ferrari SF23
- 55.523 sec. by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL60
- 32.309 sec. by Carlos Sainz with the Ferrari SF23
The quickest lap time of last year's FP1 was a 1:46,538 min, set by Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari F1-75.
FP1 Times Table 2023 Belgian GP
| P | No | Driver | Team | Time | 1st Gap | Laps | Tyres |
| 1 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 2:03,207 | 9 | I | |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 2:03,792 | +0,585s | 4 | I |
| 3 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 2:04,484 | +1,277s | 4 | I |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 2:08,148 | +4,941s | 8 | W |
| 5 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull | 2:08,240 | +5,033s | 5 | W |
| 6 | 23 | Alex Albon | Williams | 2:08,394 | +5,187s | 5 | I |
| 7 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 2:09,067 | +5,860s | 8 | W |
| 8 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 2:09,229 | +6,022s | 7 | W |
| 9 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | AlphaTauri | 2:09,319 | +6,112s | 7 | W |
| 10 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas | 2:10,042 | +6,835s | 8 | W |
| 11 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 2:10,283 | +7,076s | 4 | W |
| 12 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 2:10,299 | +7,092s | 7 | W |
| 13 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 2:10,475 | +7,268s | 7 | W |
| 14 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | 2:12,085 | +8,878s | 9 | I |
| 15 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | 2:14,002 | +10,795s | 8 | W |
| 16 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams | no time | - | 4 | - |
| 17 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | no time | - | 5 | - |
| 18 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | no time | - | 2 | - |
| 19 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | no time | - | 2 | - |
| 20 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | no time | - | 2 | - |
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What a washout, so perhaps Belgian GP should revert to the standard format for next season, given high rain chance combined with a single practice session is an unideal combination.