How to watch the 2024 F1 Belgian Grand Prix: start time, live stream and TV schedule

Following on from a chaotic race weekend in Hungary, F1 now heads to Belgium and historic Spa-Francorchamps – a circuit beloved by many drivers and intrinsic to the DNA of grand prix racing.

Viewers in the UK will be able to watch every session live on Sky Sports F1, with FP1 marking the start of on-track activity at 12.30pm on Friday, followed by qualifying on Saturday at 3pm and the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday at 2pm. Channel 4 will also be providing highlights of the weekend, which race fans can watch for free.

Max Verstappen has been the undisputed king of Spa since 2021, having captured three successive Belgian GP victories despite only starting from pole position on one occasion. But after a dominant yet controversial 1-2 finish at the Hungaroring, McLaren is now perhaps the team to beat and will be hoping to capitalise on its recent run of form to further reduce the gap to the reigning world champions in both the drivers’ and constructors’ standings.

However, the constructors from Milton Keynes and Woking won’t be the only teams in the hunt for victory. Race wins at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone have catapulted Mercedes back into regular front-running contention, while some much-needed upgrades for Ferrari have also forced Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz back into the fight for podium places.

With as many as eight drivers from four different constructors’ victory in theoretical contention for victory and the famed Spa-Francorchamps providing a near-perfect battle ground, you won’t want to miss a second of the action at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix.

 

Belgian Grand Prix live stream and TV schedule 

All times in BST

	Qualifying Saturday 27 July	Belgian GP Sunday 28 July
Session start time	3pm	2pm
Live coverage Sky Sports, Sky Go, NowTV	2pm	12.30pm
Highlights Channel 4	7.30pm	6.30pm

 

How to watch F1: live stream and TV details for 2024 Belgian Grand Prix

Each minute of every F1 session will be broadcast live in the UK, for paying subscribers only.

Live TV: All on-track sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 starting with the only free practice session of the weekend on Friday at 12.30pm. Subscribers also have access to onboard streams from each of the 20 cars, including radio messages, allowing them to follow a favourite driver on their phone while watching the main feed on TV. The onboard streams are also available on TV, as is a ‘Battle Channel’ offering split-screen coverage of the best fights for position.

Live stream: Sky Sports F1 subscribers in the UK can watch all the running live on the Sky Go app. Now TV subscribers can also see live coverage of every session via Sky Sports F1. It also offers onboard views of each driver through in-app bonus streams for monthly subscribers. These can be viewed concurrently with the main stream on a separate screen.

Live timings are available through the F1 app.

Highlights: Channel 4 will show highlights of the weekend, with action from Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s grand prix available on the corresponding day of each event.

 

Spa-Francorchamps circuit and details

Having hosted the first F1 world championship Belgian GP in 1950, Spa-Francorchamps is one of only four circuits which remain from F1’s original calendar – alongside Monza, Silverstone and Monaco – and is adored by both racing historians and many modern F1 drivers alike. Stretching into the dense Ardennes forest for over 4.3 miles (7.04km), Spa is the longest circuit that the field will have to contend this season and boasts 19 corners and two DRS zones – all of which can be a formidable challenge in both dry and wet conditions.

The circuit’s size and length means that overtaking opportunities can be frequent yet treacherous, as beyond almost every major braking zone lies unforgiving armco as well as deep gravel traps which can punish even the smallest errors. Nevertheless, drivers will often aim to dive to the inside of Turn 1 or, remaining patient, gain a tow up through Eau Rouge and Radillion before sweeping past on the Kemmel Straight or pouncing at Les Combes.

Should drivers be able to stay close to the car ahead through Spa’s technical second sector, there’s also opportunities to make a move up through the running order at Turns 15 and 16 – two high-speed right-handers – or as late as final chicane, where they arrive at the braking zone at well over 200mph following on from the high-speed left-hand kink at Blanchimont.

 

What’s the weather in Belgium this weekend?

It wouldn’t be the Belgian Grand Prix without a little rain, and there’s expected to be plenty throughout the first two days of the race weekend in 2024. While only intermittent showers are forecast to fall during Friday’s free practice sessions, damp conditions are expected for Saturday’s 2pm qualifying session — giving the potential for a starting order shake-up.

Sunday’s Grand Prix is forecast to remain dry and cool, with an average temperature of just 20 degrees celsius and only 5mph winds.

2024 Belgian Grand Prix full session times

All times in BST

	Friday 26 July	Saturday 27 July	Sunday 28 July
F1	Free Practice 1 — 12.30pm Free Practice 2 — 4pm	Free Practice 3 — 11.30am Qualifying — 3pm	Hungarian Grand Prix — 2pm