As the Hungarian Grand Prix concludes, Formula 1 (F1) wastes no time and heads straight to Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix. This race marks the end of a frenetic period of four races in just five weeks. However, the sprint race format, which was last used in the Austrian GP in July, adds an extra layer of excitement with more points and prizes up for grabs.
The recent dominance of Max Verstappen and Red Bull has made them an unstoppable force in F1. Verstappen secured his seventh consecutive victory in Hungary, setting a new record for the most consecutive F1 wins with 12. As a result, he now leads the F1 world championship standings by a staggering 110 points ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez. It will take a remarkable effort from another driver to stop Verstappen and Red Bull’s reign at the Belgian Grand Prix.
McLaren will also be looking to maintain their recent good form. Lando Norris has secured back-to-back podium finishes for the first time in his F1 career and will be aiming to continue this success at Spa-Francorchamps.
The sprint race format means that qualifying for the grand prix will take place on Friday afternoon. Saturday will then feature a standalone sprint qualifying and sprint race, providing an action-packed weekend for F1 fans.
Here is the schedule for the Belgian Grand Prix:
– Friday 28 July 2023:
– Free Practice 1: 12:30 pm-1:30 pm BST (1:30 pm-2:30 pm local)
– Qualifying: 4:00 pm-5:00 pm BST (5:00 pm-6:00 pm local)
– Saturday 29 July 2023:
– Sprint Qualifying: 11:00 am-11:44 am BST (12:00 pm-12:44 pm local)
– Sprint Race: 3:30 pm-4:30 pm BST (4:30 pm-5:30 pm local)
– Sunday 23 July 2023:
– Race: 2:00 pm BST (3:00 pm local)
In the United Kingdom, live coverage of Formula 1 is exclusive to Sky Sports, with highlights being shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race concludes. UK viewers can also access live streaming through NOW.
To watch F1 races on Sky Sports, viewers can add the Sky Sports channels to their subscription for £24 per month. Alternatively, they can opt for a one-off day payment of £11.98p or a monthly membership of £34.99p to access Sky Sports through NOW.
For those who prefer to watch race highlights for free, Channel 4 will broadcast them on Saturday night (qualifying) and Sunday night (grand prix).
Here are the channel numbers for Sky Sports F1:
– Sky: 406
– Virgin Media: 506
The build-up to the Belgian Grand Prix race will start from 12:30 pm on Sky Sports F1, with the race itself commencing at 2:00 pm.
If you prefer radio coverage, BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra will provide live radio coverage of every practice, qualifying session, and race for the entire 2023 F1 season. You can also listen to the coverage via the BBC Sport website. The coverage of the Belgian GP will begin at 2:00 pm BST on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sounds app.
As for the weather forecast, Spa-Francorchamps is expected to have mild and mixed conditions throughout the race weekend. There is a good chance of rain on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday is likely to remain dry. The race will start with cloudy conditions and a small possibility of showers, with temperatures reaching highs of 20 degrees Celsius.
In summary, the Belgian Grand Prix promises to be another thrilling race as Max Verstappen and Red Bull continue their dominant run. McLaren will also be aiming to maintain their recent success. F1 fans can look forward to an action-packed weekend with the sprint race format providing additional excitement. Don’t forget to tune in to Sky Sports or BBC Radio 5 Live to catch all the live coverage of this highly anticipated event.
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