Verstappen fastest but treacherous conditions wreck final practice

The final practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix was wrecked by heavy rain and incorporated two red flags, leading to question marks ahead of qualifying.

The initial red flag after less than 12 minutes of the hour-long session at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit followed a crash for Aston Martin's Lance Stroll at the top of Raidillon.

Although the session was allowed to resume eight minutes later, the intensity of the rain forced the second red flag soon. With just two minutes remaining, the red flag was lifted, prompting nothing more than sighter laps and practice starts on Pirelli's full-wet rubber.

With further heavy rain forecast throughout the afternoon, it has placed in doubt the prospect of qualifying.

In stark contrast to the dry running during the two practice sessions on Friday, the rain forecast for qualifying day duly struck the Spa-Francorchamps circuit with a vengeance.

A damp morning gave way to the rain falling 20 minutes before the start of FP3, which became less than 10 minutes into the session.

Max Verstappen was the first driver on track with intermediates on his RB20. With the tyres trying to get up to temperature, the three-time F1 champion ran off the circuit through the slow Bruxelles right-hander.

It was the same for Piastri soon after through Les Fagnes, although both the Australian and Verstappen were on track early enough when the conditions were at their easiest.

It allowed Verstappen to set the opening lap of 2:03.232s before following up with a 2:01.565. Piastri initially set a 2:04.946s before improving to 2:02.998s to sit 1.433s adrift. They were the leading times.

Red flags strike Belgian GP practice

As the rain increased, RB's Yuki Tsunoda and Lando Norris ran off track into the gravel before Stroll brought out the red flags with less than 12 minutes on the clock.

Powering up Eau Rouge, Stroll suffered a snap of oversteer, and in the wet conditions, that was enough to send him sliding off at Raidillon. The Canadian then pirouetted through 360 degrees before clouting a barrier with the front left of his car, snapping the suspension.

Although Stroll was collected by the medical car, and his stricken car removed which allowed the session to resume at 12:50 local time, the remaining 19 drivers stayed in their garages as the rain lashed the circuit.

The break at least allowed RB to assess an issue with Daniel Ricciardo's car as the Australian had radioed in during the early laps that he felt like he was "losing hydraulics", and that his "steering was heavy".

Although the team reported back that the data showed no issues, Ricciardo insisted that "something still feels weird", resulting in him being told to box.

At 13:04, the FIA red-flagged the session for a second time due to the treacherous conditions. At 13:28, cars again took to the track to allow the drivers to do the practice starts.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who had not managed a single lap, was first out although he skidded off on his initial feeler into the gravel.

For the seven who opted to head out, running was nothing more than an out- and in-lap.

As a sidenote, behind Verstappen and Piastri at the top of timesheet came Alpine's Pierre Gasly, and then Norris, whose McLaren team changed the floor on his car after his gravel excursion earlier.