As the Formula 1 championship arrives at Spa-Francorchamps for the 14th round of the season, anticipation runs high as it marks the final race before the annual summer break.
Drivers and teams are poised to make a final push for as many points as possible before the shutdown, with the championship set to resume at the Dutch Grand Prix from August 23-25.
Red Bull are particularly eager to recapture the dominant form they displayed at the beginning of the season and extend their grip on both championships.
Following three winless rounds for Max Verstappen, the Milton Keynes squad are looking to make a strong statement at Spa-Francorchamps - a track that suits their machines more than recent circuits. The Dutchman has already shown some pace in the first practice run, topping the timesheets with 1:43.372sec.
However, Verstappen has been hit with a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday's race, having exceeded his engine allowance for the season.
On top of this, both Mercedes and McLaren are breathing down their neck after victories in the last three outings, and they will be determined to continue chipping away at the current gap in the standings.
F1 Practice times - Belgian Grand Prix
FP3 - Saturday, July 27, 2024
Central European Time: 12:30pm Saturday United Kingdom (BST): 11:30am Saturday United States (EDT): 6:30am Saturday United States (CDT): 5:30am Saturday United States (PDT): 3:30am Saturday Australia (AEST): 8:30pm Saturday Australia (AWST): 6:30pm Saturday Australia (ACST): 8pm Saturday Mexico (CST): 4:30am Saturday Japan (JST): 7:30pm Saturday South Africa (SAST): 12:30pm Saturday Egypt (EEST): 1:30pm Saturday China (CST): 6:30pm Saturday India (IST): 4pm Saturday Brazil: 7:30am Saturday Singapore: 6:30pm Saturday Saudi Arabia: 1:30pm Saturday United Arab Emirates: 2:30pm Saturday Turkey: 1:30pm Saturday