F1 News: Belgian GP Expects Heavy Rain And Thunderstorms

The upcoming Belgian Grand Prix at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit seems poised for an encounter with unpredictable weather.

As the F1 season has progressed, it’s clear that rain is no stranger to many of the Grands Prix. The rainy conditions have notably spiced up the Saturday race dynamics in Canada, the UK, and Austria. On top of that, a thrilling downpour during the Monaco race kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

For this sprint weekend, Friday is set to have just one practice session. Weather.com predicts a significant 80% chance of rain for the day, making the teams’ task of perfecting their runs during practice especially challenging. Qualifying, which is also expected to be wet, will certainly push the teams’ strategic prowess to the fore.

Saturday’s forecast suggests a continuation of the rain, potentially resulting in a wet sprint shootout and sprint race. The temperatures aren’t anticipated to surpass 18°C, and, mirroring Friday, there’s an 80% chance of rain. The possibility of thunderstorms is also on the table, adding an extra layer of excitement.

It’s worth mentioning that some drivers have expressed concerns about the sprint race format, worrying about the potential risk of extra and, in their view, avoidable damage to their F1 cars ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix. Therefore, a rainy sprint race might lead to more conservative driving, which increases the sprint shootout’s significance, as it determines the sprint race’s starting grid.

As we look towards Sunday, the rainfall risk drops to 60%, with intermittent showers being the likely scenario, rather than a constant downpour.