F1 Belgian Grand Prix LIVE: Race updates and times at Spa-Francorchamps

20) Nico Hulkenberg (pit lane start)

*Max Verstappen receives a five-place grid drop for exceeding his gearbox allocation

And a dry Spa-Francorchamps, we should point out.

Verstappen was embroiled in a squabble with Gianpiero Lambiase after he only just made it through to Q3 during a wet-dry session at Spa-Francorchamps.

But the championship leader regained his composure at the business end of qualifying to demolish the opposition, finishing eight tenths clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with Sergio Perez third in the other Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth.

However, Verstappen will only start Sunday’s race from sixth position as he serves a five-place grid drop for exceeding his gearbox allocation.

3) Aston Martin – 184 points

10) AlphaTauri – 2 points

Exclusive interview by Kieran Jackson

Silverstone, 2022. That was the moment a goal within touching distance for so long was finally grasped by Carlos Sainz. Fittingly, his first pole position of his career was duly followed by a first Formula 1 race win, in his 150th grand prix. Ferrari were back among the top contenders and Sainz, this time, was the leading man ahead of his team-mate Charles Leclerc. The Scuderia were a force at the front once more. Or so we thought.

Despite producing a race-winning car, Ferrari failed to capitalise last year amid strategy and reliability clangers. Red Bull leapfrogged the calamitous prancing horse – and have not looked back. Now, Ferrari have not won since Austria last year, just a week after Sainz’s inaugural triumph. They are fourth in the Constructors’ Championship at the halfway stage this season. Sainz has not even finished on the podium.

“I thought we’d be fighting for more podiums and wins but unfortunately it’s a very competitive team called Red Bull who are dominating,” Sainz tells The Independent.

1) Max Verstappen – 289 points

2) Sergio Perez – 171 points

3) Fernando Alonso – 139 points

4) Lewis Hamilton – 135 points

5) Carlos Sainz – 92 points

6) George Russell – 91 points

7) Charles Leclerc – 84 points

8) Lando Norris – 63 points

9) Lance Stroll – 45 points

10) Oscar Piastri – 34 points

11) Esteban Ocon – 31 points

12) Pierre Gasly – 22 points

13) Alex Albon – 11 points

14) Nico Hulkenberg – 9 points

15) Valtteri Bottas – 5 points

16) Zhou Guanyu – 4 points

17) Yuki Tsunoda – 2 points

18) Kevin Magnussen – 2 points

19) Logan Sargeant – 0 points

20) Nyck de Vries – 0 points

21) Daniel Ricciardo – 0 points

Pole-sitter Verstappen fell behind Piastri after the Australian moved from wet tyres to intermediate rubber a lap earlier before blasting back into the lead at the midway stage of a frantic rain-hit dash at Spa-Francorchamps.

Rookie Piastri finished runner-up with Pierre Gasly a surprise third for Alpine. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth but was hit with a five-second penalty for colliding with Sergio Perez, dropping him to seventh.

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were promoted to fourth and fifth respectively for Ferrari with McLaren’s Lando Norris sixth. George Russell took the final point in eighth.

*Max Verstappen receives a five-place grid drop for exceeding his gearbox allocation

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Belgian Grand Prix!

It’s the last race before the F1 summer break and Max Verstappen is looking to make it eight grand prix victories in a row as he continues his cruise to a third world championship.

The Dutchman starts in sixth place today after a five-place grid drop from first in qualifying due to exceeding his gearbox allocation. Charles Leclerc is on pole with Sergio Perez alongside him on the front row.

The race at Spa-Francorchamps is set to start at 2pm (BST). Stay right here for all the build-up!