Belgian GP P1: Rain affected first practice

Practice for the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix would commence with the usual rush of drivers coming out for their installation laps. Both AT&T Williams drivers Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima would come out early. Fisichella and Vettel had led the field out of the pit lane but just as quickly the drivers would return back to their pits. Bridgestone were supplying the soft and medium compounds for the weekend. Last to come out of the pit lane was Barrichello. It was reported that there was a possibility of rain thirty minutes into the session. It was very overcast and with ten minutes of the session run the track was now empty.

Alguersuari was the first driver back out with fifteen minutes completed. Glock was next out while Nico was on the pit wall watching proceedings. Alguersuari would set a time of 2m:00.275, while Glock had pitted. Buemi was next out joined by Hamilton. Buemi was advised that there was light rain on its way. Alguersuari would improve with a 1m:56.099. Button would also leave the pits as Hamilton would pit and was pushed back into his garage. Barrichello would join team-mate Button as Alguersuari improved with a 1m:53.552. Buemi would set a time of 1m:54.080 on his first lap. Several other drivers were out including Kubica, Trulli, Badoer, and Raikkonen.

Alguersuari would improve again with a 1m:52.341 as he put in a long run. Button was now second with a 1m:52.555. Buemi was down to a 1m:52.726. Both Nico and Kazuki were on the track while Alguersuari continued to lower his times with a 1m:51.529 to remain fastest. Most of the field was out on the track, most likely looking to put in some laps prior to the arrival of the rain. Trulli was now fastest with a 1m:49.675, from Button and Buemi. Barrichello was down in fifth behind Alguersuari. Alonso was now third, 1m:50.368, followed by Buemi, Alguersuari, Barrichello, Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Kubica, and Badoer in tenth.

With the rain coming down it was declared a wet track as most of the drivers returned to their pits. Only Fisichella was still on the track but he would pit leaving the track empty. The weather had closed in very badly with the rain now quite heavy and the clouds quite low. With fifty minutes left in the session it would be Alguersuari who would return to the track running on full wets. It was his first time in an F1 car in wet conditions. Buemi was also out while Alguersuari set a time of 2m:15.437. His next alp was a 2m:12.536. Badoer and Barrichello had also come out for a run in the wet conditions. Barrichello was on the intermediate tyre.

Badoer would lock up and run down the escape road at Le Combe. Barrichello would pit while Webber would also take to the track joined by Raikkonen. Button was also back out on the track along with Grosjean. Buemi would have an off at the exit of Pouhon. He would run wide an hit the kerb and would spin and hit the tyre barrier. He was able to continue and make his way back to his pit. Alonso was also out on the track while Badoer would improve his time to a 2m09.796, but this was over three seconds slower than current wet-pace setter Buemi. Webber was up to eleventh with a 2m:08.430, having not set a time prior to the arrival of the rain. Trulli was also out along with Hamilton. Grosjean would set a time of 2m:10.432.

Webber had improved with a 2m:06.280 while Kazuki would leave the pit lane for his first laps. Badoer would take to the run-off area at Le Source. Grosjean had improved with a 2m:07.029. With thirty minutes remaining more drivers would take to the track but Nico remained in his pit. Neither of the Williams drivers had set a time. Kazuki would set a time of 2m:09.904 to be fifteenth behind Heidfeld. Both Alonso and Raikkonen were now the quickest drivers on circuit with times in the 2m05s bracket. With twenty four minute left Nico would finally come out as the rain fell even harder.

Kazuki was down to a 2m:07.056 while Raikkonen had set a time of 2m:05.811. Kubica would set a time of 2m:05.504. Both Vettel and Hamilton were in their pits with it being very unlikely that they would return to the track. Kazuki had improved with a 2m:06.291 while Nico's first time was a 2m:06.845. Raikkonen was down to a 2m:04.749 while Kazuki would again improve with a 2m:06.098. Nico was able to lower his time with a 2m:05.340 with just under twenty minutes remaining to be twelfth. The top ten drivers had all set dry weather times so would not be beaten. With fifteen minutes left only Nico and Glock were out on the track. Ten minutes remaining and the track was now empty. Kovalainen would come out by himself as the rain started to ease. Buemi would return shortly followed by team-mate Alguersuari.

Kovalainen would run wide over the gravel on the run down to Rivage. He was able to get out and continue. Both Brawn cars were back out along with Kazuki and Grosjean. Five minutes left in the session and more drivers were coming out including Alonso, Kazuki, Heidfeld, and Badoer. Conditions were getting better as the final minutes counted down. Several of the drivers were running on the intermediate tyres, including Alonso. Nico was also back out on the track along with most of the field as the session came to an end. Button had set a time of 2m:05.182. Kazuki would improve with a 2m:05.705. Nico was down to a 2m:04.505.

It really was a session that did not give an indication of the performance of the drivers as only the top ten completed a time in the dry. Nico and Kazuki were down in twelfth and fifteenth.

Pos  Driver       Team			    Time      Laps
 1.  Trulli       Toyota                (B)  1:49.675  13
 2.  Button       Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  1:50.283  18
 3.  Alonso       Renault               (B)  1:50.368  13
 4.  Buemi        Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  1:51.045  20
 5.  Alguersuari  Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  1:51.529  24
 6.  Barrichello  Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  1:52.321  18
 7.  Raikkonen    Ferrari               (B)  1:52.930  16
 8.  Kovalainen   McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  1:53.383  11
 9.  Kubica       BMW-Sauber            (B)  1:53.650  12
10.  Badoer       Ferrari               (B)  1:55.068  20
11.  Fisichella   Force India-Mercedes  (B)  2:03.972  11
12.  Rosberg      AT&T Williams-Toyota  (B)  2:04.505  13
13.  Grosjean     Renault               (B)  2:05.513  13
14.  Heidfeld     BMW-Sauber            (B)  2:05.614  14
15.  Nakajima     AT&T Williams-Toyota  (B)  2:05.705  15
16.  Sutil        Force India-Mercedes  (B)  2:05.839  10
17.  Webber       Red Bull-Renault      (B)  2:06.181  6
18.  Glock        Toyota                (B)  2:06.331  15
19.  Vettel       Red Bull-Renault      (B)            1
20.  Hamilton     McLaren-Mercedes      (B)            4