The Latest Breaking News from Pirelli

The FIA rules specify that every race driver has to give up an FP1 session for a rookie who has started no more than two grands prix.

The start of the Saturday sprint event at Spa was delayed by rain, and when it eventually got underway the cars ran on full wet tyres behind the safety car – as mandated by the rules – before the field was released.

A late downpour caused the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix sprint race to be delayed. The field was then led by the safety car for five formation laps ahead of a rolling start.

If a race is declared wet and is started behind the safety car, drivers are obliged to run Pirelli's blue-walled extreme wet tyres.

Leclerc, one of F1’s star qualifiers, has had several disappointing results against the clock in 2023, as he has struggled to keep to the minimalistic approach required in mixed conditions to reduce mistakes and keep the sensitive Pirelli tyres in the correct state with his aggressive driving style. 

Team bosses and F1 chiefs are due to discuss the tyre blanket issue at a meeting of the F1 Commission at the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday.

Pirelli and Falken have new ultra-high-performance all-season tires on the market. Can they handle a 717-hp Hellcat?

Formula 1 has always relied on junior categories to feed it with the next generation of drivers, and its teams are eager to snap up the brightest talents within them.

The Belgian GP will run to the sprint format, which means teams will only get one practice session before qualifying. With rain expected to hit the track on Friday, teams may get little-to-no dry running before the set-up of their cars is frozen under parc ferme rules.