TV channels, how to stream, weather, sprint format, tire compounds, weather forecast and more for Spa

Before taking off on its traditional summer break, F1 descends into the Ardennes Forest and the idyllic Spa-Francorchamps circuit this weekend for the Belgian Grand Prix.

Two-time defending series champion Max Verstappen is the heavy favorite to win for the third straight time in the country of his birth (he races under the Dutch flag but was born in Hasselt), but wet conditions could throw a spanner in the works and open the door for the likes of Lando Norris and a resurgent McLaren camp.

Here’s everything to know ahead of the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix:

Belgian Grand Prix TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Friday
7:25 – 8:30 a.m.: Free practice 1 (ESPN2, F1 TV Pro)
10:55 a.m. – Noon: Qualifying (ESPN2, F1 TV Pro)

Saturday
6:25 – 7:30 a.m.: Sprint shootout (ESPN2, F1 TV Pro)
10:25 – 11:30 a.m.: Sprint (ESPN2, F1 TV Pro)

Sunday
7:30 – 8:55 a.m.: Pre-race show (ESPN)
8:55 – 11 a.m.: Belgian Grand Prix (ESPN, F1 TV Pro)

Belgian Grand Prix details

Track: Circuit Spa-Francorchamps (Spa, Belgium), 19-turn, 4.35-mile permanent racing facility
Race length: 44 laps for 191.4 miles
Lap record: 1:46.286
Tire compounds: C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Hard)
2022 winner: Max Verstappen, Red Bull-RBPT

Top drivers and best bets for the Belgian Grand Prix

Verstappen – as he will for the rest of the season – opens with an absurd advantage in the odds, with a -350 moneyline going into the weekend, while no other driver is better than 10-to-1 according to BetMGM. Keep betting him even if you have to risk more until he starts not to pay out.

Best odds to win
• Max Verstappen -350
• Lando Norris +1000
• Lewis Hamilton +1200

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg wrote earlier in the week on other wagers he’s eying for the weekend, including Verstappen and Norris finishing on the podium (+100) and both Aston Martin drivers to finish in the points (+175). Verstappen is imperious in the wet, while Norris is on a great run of form with back-to-back P2 finishes. As for Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso has bagged six podiums in 11 races so far, while teammate Lance Stroll has an average finish of P10 in races he’s finished for the team at Spa.

Sprint weekend format returns

In 2021, F1 introduced the Sprint weekend format, which moved traditional qualifying to Friday and put in its place a shortened race that would award minimal points and set the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix. A few nominal tweaks later, we have our current format for the 2023 season, which effectively makes Saturday more like an exhibition. This weekend marks the third of six sprint format weekends in 2023.

The format change ditches the lame-duck Saturday morning practice session in favor of a quicker version of the traditional three-stage knockout qualifying format to set the grid for the sprint race later in the day. The top eight finishers of the sprint will be awarded points in descending order (eight for P1, seven for P2, six for P3, etc.).

F1 world drivers’ championship standings

1. Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT – 281
2. Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT – 171
3. Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes – 139
4. Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes – 133
5. George Russell (63), Mercedes – 90
6. Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari – 87
7. Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari – 80
8. Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes – 60
9. Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes – 45
10. Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault – 31
11. Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes – 27
12. Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault – 16
13. Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes – 11
14. Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari – 9
15. Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari – 5
16. Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari – 4
17. Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 2
18. Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari – 2
19. Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes – 0
20. Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 0

Belgian Grand Prix weather

Expect delays or cancellations. The forecast calls for hot, humid conditions with more than a 51 percent chance of precipitation for all three days. The nastiest weather is expected for Friday’s practice and grand prix qualifying sessions which could mix up the middle of the grid, but Verstappen, Hamilton and Norris are all strong wet-weather drivers and typically run very well at Spa, so temper expectations at the top.

Visibility both on track and in the air could severely alter the weekend schedule. With Spa’s deadly history, including the recent death of Dilano van ‘t Hoff after a crash in heavy rain, drivers are already pushing for more caution this weekend. Alternatively, if visibility in the skies hampers the ability for medical response helicopters to take off and land, that, too, could force race stewards’ hands in delaying or canceling on-track running.