Yves Logghe/Associated PressIt rained heavily Friday at both practice sessions at Spa-Francorchamps as the Formula One teams prepared for the Belgian Grand Prix.
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium – Friday was a day of mixed fortunes for the drivers, spectators and the weather at Spa as Formula One returned from its summer break to torrential summer showers. That, of course, is typical for the Spa circuit, so no one was surprised by the weather.
Both the morning and afternoon sessions were interrupted by the rain, but more the morning than in the afternoon, when the cars nevertheless had a good hour’s run before the rain really started falling again. In the morning there was only a short period on a dry track, and that is when Michael Schumacher in a Mercedes marked his 20th anniversary return to the Spa track by setting the fastest time of the day. The German set only the 11th fastest time in the afternoon session, however.
Mark Webber’s fortunes also were mixed. He set the fastest time of the afternoon session in his Red Bull after being 16th in the morning.
The most unfortunate story of the day was certainly that of Bruno Senna. The Brazilian driver returned to racing Friday at Spa as a replacement for Nick Heidfeld who got kicked out of the Lotus Renault team for not living up to expectations. Senna spun off the wet track after only seven laps, causing some damage to the car on his debut with the team. Senna, the nephew of Ayrton Senna, naturally had been feeling a lot of pressure.
“I am both excited and nervous,” Senna said beforehand. “It feels like Christmas and my toughest exam have both arrived on the same day.”
It did not look like Christmas out there for the fans as the action was cut so much with all that rain. Weather forecasts predict that most of the rain will fall Friday and Saturday. Sunday, race day, there is a chance of showers. It would would be interesting to see the kind of rain we had Friday during the race, as that would shake up the cards a little.
Meanwhile, if rain breaks up the practice session, I suggest readers fill in the time looking at my preview articles for the race. The main feature is about the F1 summer break that just ended, the team portrait is about Force India, and then there is the Paddock Postcard, in which among other things I mention the weather in this region.