F1 qualifying LIVE: Lewis Hamilton targets pole as Bottas gets knocked out of Q1 at Belgian Grand Prix

Nervy moments for Hamilton was 14th for a while but he puts himself towards the top of the leaderboard, as does Russell and the Williams of Alex Albon – he’s sixth!

Top-five knocked out: Vettel, Latifi, Magnussen, Tsunoda, Bottas.

Bottas knocked out of Q1 for the first time since Monaco 2015! However, due to all the engine penalties, he’s set to start 14th as opposed to 20th.

Every car now in the pits as they all prepare for their final runs in Q1.

The Mercedes boys near-certain to head back out there as they are far from safe in 10th and 11th. Hamilton is only four-tenths away from being knocked out!

Impressively, the Alpines of Ocon and Alonso are in fifth and sixth.

Every car has now recorded a lap after a slow start to the session – Max Verstappen on top, with Sainz in second and Perez third.

Bottom-five currently: Stroll, Latifi, Schumacher, Zhou, Bottas. Yuki Tsuonda in 15th.

Worryingly, Russell and Hamilton are only 10th and 11th respectively! Miles off it…

We’re underway at Spa-Francorchamps – 18 minutes for Q1!

The Williams of Nicholas Latifi – who qualified 10th last year in the wet – is out first. Both the Canadian and team-mate Alex Albon have been showing impressive straight-line speed in practice, can it make a difference in qualifying?

We’re just two minutes away from action in Q1 at Spa-Francorchamps!

Max Verstappen was on pole last year but even if he finishes first today, the Red Bull driver will be at the back of the grid due to an engine penalty.

Also taking penalties this weekend: Leclerc, Norris, Ocon, Schumacher, Bottas, Zhou.

Will it be confusing to track in qualifying? Quite possibly, aye….

Qualifying will start at 3:25pm (BST) following the repair of the barrier at Spa-Francorchamps!

So only 10 minutes away from some action out on track in Belgium!

Lewis Hamilton is looking intensely at his Mercedes W13 in the garage. He’s failed to fire in practice but can he get it together in qualifying? The seven-time world champion is still looking for a top-three finish in qualifying this year…

It’s dry at Spa-Francorchamps for qualifying this afternoon – for the time being.

Remember last year’s dramatic qualifying session in the wet? Lando Norris’ heavy shunt and George Russell’s memorable second place in a Williams? Let’s hope the rain stays away this time round…

Still no update of a start time for qualifying here…

The qualifying start time has been pushed back here, with the start of the session delayed as the marshalls look to fix a broken barrier out on track…

The crash took place in the Porsche Supercup race which took place before qualifying, following a collision between two cars.

1. Max Verstappen – 258 points

2. Charles Leclerc – 178 points

3. Sergio Perez – 173 points

4. George Russell – 158 points

5. Carlos Sainz – 156 points

6. Lewis Hamilton – 146 points

7. Lando Norris – 76 points

8. Esteban Ocon – 58 points

9. Valtteri Bottas – 46 points

10. Fernando Alonso – 41 points

11. Kevin Magnussen – 22 points

12. Daniel Ricciardo -19 points

13. Pierre Gasly – 16 points

14. Sebastian Vettel – 16 points

15. Mick Schumacher – 12 points

16. Yuki Tsunoda – 11 points

17. Guanyu Zhou – 5 points

18. Lance Stroll – 4 points

19. Alex Albon – 3 points

20. Nicholas Latifi – 0 points

21. Nico Hulkenberg – 0 points

Red Bull boss Christian Horner insists big and historic races should remain on the Formula One calendar with the future of the Belgian Grand Prix uncertain. Formula One returns after the summer break this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, but the future of the race is not clear as it enters the final year of its current contract.

There have been suggestions that Spa might lose its spot on the 2023 calendar, as F1 attempts to squeeze in as many races as possible while catering for new venues such as Las Vegas, potentially South Africa and the possible return of China.

With the long-term future of the Monaco Grand Prix also far from concrete, Horner told Sky F1 that it was imperative that Formula One protected traditional venues from falling off the busy globetrotting schedule.

“Spa, for sure… it’s one of those historic races,” Horner said. “Monza, Silverstone, Spa, they’re the big and historic ones, we should ringfence those and protect those.”