How Belgian GP practice unfolded

Ferrari quickest, and as much as we would all like to read into how they might have some new found speed, don't. Because we've had familiar scenarios already this season, where Mercedes have had better long run pace, and it's the same here too.

Although having said that, if we keep going with the number of the grid penalties (Albon, Kvyat, Stroll, Sainz, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg) maybe Ferrari will have a head start.

We will be back at the usual time of 10:30 tomorrow, with commentary on 5 live sports extra, and qualifying from 14:00 BST.

From here you can:

• Read a feature about Alex Albon
• Listen to the Chequered Flag podcast
• Watch a Tom Pryce documentary on BBC iPlayer

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Charles Leclerc set an eye-opening lap to head a Ferrari one-two in second practice at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old was 0.630 seconds quicker than team-mate Sebastian Vettel - and a massive 0.846secs ahead of the fastest Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas.

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton was fourth, 0.046secs behind his team-mate, but only Leclerc of the drivers in the top teams seemed to manage a clean lap.

Alex Albon was down in 10th, with Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen sixth.

Albon, who has been promoted from Toro Rosso for the final nine races of the season, had been right with Verstappen in the first session in the morning but ended the day 0.377secs off the Dutchman's pace.

Vettel, Hamilton and Verstappen all made errors at the final chicane on their laps. Albon's lap looked uncomfortable and while Leclerc also went into the Bus Stop chicane a little deep, he lost less time than the other top drivers.

The cars were showing wildly different performance profiles.

Read Andrew Benson's report.

Post Hungary stats: If you cast your minds back three weeks, these are the numbers of the top three in the championship.

So far, it's another Mercedes year, and everyone knows it. But Max Verstappen chasing Valtteri Bottas' tail.

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Alex Albon, Red Bull's newest promotion, says: "It was a pretty smooth day it was a good time I feel quite at home with the guys there they have been very nice to me. [The car is] different, I've done some sim on Wednesday and I could tell it would be different but once you’re in the car with the G force it’s easier to feel the car."

Asked whether it would be easier for him this weekend with the grid penalty, he says: "I still would have liked to have qualified properly and see where I can end up so there is a bit of a chilled out atmosphere."

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal discusses the decision to retain Valtteri Bottas for 2020. He says: "It's not a thing that had been decided in a day, we spent several months looking at the data and the options and in the end it felt like the right thing to do.

"Valtteri's qualifying record has been good and he is great in the team and he deserved his place in Mercedes, equally Esteban is an up-and-coming kid and he also deserves a place in a Mercedes car."

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Well not quite actually, he was about 17 in this video, but he does absolutely have a baby face.

No absolute flames, but the car is smoking and he's out of it now, looking very upset.

Perez' team-mate Lance Stroll already has a grid penalty, so it could be back of the grid for both of them.

Ok, I called it. I said there was nothing happening and now Sergio Perez is on fire.

Yep, I can confirm there's cars going round the track, and that's about it.

Christian Horner was speaking to Martin Brundle earlier on the reasons for the Albon-Gasly swap. He says: "We came to the conclusion that it was fairer for Pierre to take the pressure off him and he was obviously struggling with the pressure and we thought he needed chance to develop.

"With Alex we have seen his potential, and as well in the sim, and we've taken the opportunity in these next nine races to see who will be partnering Max next season."

Asked about the potential of Nico Hulkenberg joining Red Bull, Horner says: "It depends, is he going to be a Haas driver next year? We would prefer to take from the pool we already have."

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"Oh I think I have the same thing again, the same problem with the power. The exit braking doesn't feel fantastic."

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Free license fee* for the correct answers via #bbcf1.

*sorry, you have to pay for the license fee.

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"There's something burning like crazy at the back of my seat."

Engineer: "Which side Lance? Or is it at the back?"

"It smells like there's something burning through."

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Formula 1 bosses will discuss next month the idea of trialling new ideas for race formats next season - including possibly shorter races instead of qualifying.

F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn is keen to try out some new ideas in a season in which the regulations will be fundamentally the same as this year. But, as ever, some teams think it’s a good idea to give it a bash and some don’t.

Haas team boss Gunther Steiner, for example, has pointed out that an extra race on Saturday to set the grid will mean more costs, because teams will need more parts for it.

Anyway, it will be discussed at the next big meeting, which will largely focus on trying to sort out the 2021 rules, in Geneva early next month.

No change in the order, Sergio Perez, who is awaiting a contract renewal, is in fifth still.

1. Leclerc
2. Vettel
3. Bottas
4. Hamilton
5. Perez

"Err, there's another guy talking to me on the radio."

Helmut Marko?

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