F1 LIVE | The 2023 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Franchorchamps

The 2023 Belgian Grand Prix is about to start. It will be the 12th Grand Prix in the 2023 Formula 1 season. At 14:00 BST, the lights will go green, and after 44 laps, we know who the winner is. Will Red Bull win their 13th consecutive race? Or can pole-sitter Charles Leclerc perhaps surprise?

F1 LIVE | The 2023 Belgian Grand Prix

Verstappen was supreme in qualifying on Friday. He narrowly survived Q2 by setting the tenth fastest time, but in the all-decisive Q3, he was then eight-tenths faster than everyone else. However, because the 25-year-old Dutchman has put a new gearbox in his RB19 for the fifth time, so he has been put back five places on the grid and has to come from P6.

Despite everything and everyone, Verstappen is the big favourite for victory later this afternoon. Last year he already showed how he can also win in the Ardennes from 14th on the grid, so no one really doubts that Verstappen will pass the five drivers in front of him (Leclerc, Sergio Perez, Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri).

Rain can make it all a bit more difficult for Verstappen. Sunday morning it will remain dry at Spa-Francorchamps, but it is expected to rain for the first time from the start of the race onwards. The chance of showers remains at around 70 per cent throughout the race, so the conditions can become very tricky.

Belgian GP history

The Belgian Grand Prix has taken place at Spa-Francorchamps 55 times. The event has also been held at Zolder (10 times) and Nivelles (2 times). It has been raced at Spa consistently since 1985. 

Michael Schumacher has won at Spa six times, with Ayrton Senna picking up five victories. Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver at the circuit on the current grid, with four wins. Max Verstappen is looking to close in on Hamilton, as he has already secured two wins. Charles Leclerc and Daniel Ricciardo are the only other drivers on the current grid to win an F1 race in Belgium. 

It’s a different story in qualifying. Hamilton is the most successful driver on a Saturday, with six pole positions to his name. Juan Manuel Fangio and Senna have four pole positions. Remarkably, Schumacher only managed to get one pole position at the venue. Leclerc, Verstappen and Carlos Sainz are the only other drivers on the current grid to secure the P1 starting spot in Spa. Ferrari are the most successful team, with 14 wins.