Kimi Raikkonen kept Ferrari at the top of the times after leading Lewis Hamilton in second practice at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Finn, who is known as the 'King of Spa', proved why many people expect him to be a strong contender for a fifth victory in the Ardennes, setting a 1m43.355s on the Supersoft tyre during the low fuel simulations, 0.168s clear of the Mercedes.

His teammate Sebastian Vettel, who led in the morning, made a mistake during both his attempted flying laps and would finish seven-tenths off the pace in fifth in the second Prancing Horse.

Valtteri Bottas would be third, opting to run a conventional plan in the second session despite being set to start at the back due to engine penalties, with Max Verstappen the lead of the Red Bulls in fourth.

Daniel Ricciardo was in catch-up mode after fuel injection issue left him sidelined for almost all the first 90 minutes of running. The Australian would also be one of several drivers to be warned for cutting the corner at the top of Eau Rouge/ Raidillon as he finished sixth fastest, two-tenths behind his Dutch partner.

In the midfield, Sergio Perez gave Force India reason for optimism, finishing 'best of the rest' in seventh. Carlos Sainz also indicated Renault would be more competitive than perhaps expected in eighth.

Sauber though, indicated why the Ferrari customers are tipped to be the teams to beat as Marcus Ericsson led teammate Charles Leclerc by a tenth to complete the top 10.

Perhaps the most surprising story of the day was Haas' lack of pace after being the fourth fastest squad before the summer break, instead, Romain Grosjean only maintained his 12th place from the morning while Kevin Magnussen languished in 14th.

Toro Rosso, Williams and McLaren continued to bring up the order with Pierre Gasly 15th, just ahead of Fernando Alonso, who returned after giving Lando Norris his car in the opening practice.

Sergey Sirotkin was the lead Williams in 18th ahead of teammate Lance Stroll as Stoffel Vandoorne's difficult start to his home race weekend continued in 20th.

As always, the final 30 minutes were handed over to a race simulation and Ferrari again look strong as Mercedes struggled for rear grip out of the slow corners and also under-braking with both Hamilton and Bottas picking up flat-spots at the Bus Stop chicane.

Red Bull were a little more competitive, as always, and their lack of downforce allowed Verstappen to be the quickest man in the final sector where DRS doesn't negate the differing rear wing levels.

Even so, a shoot-out between Hamilton and the two Ferraris await, if the weather doesn't decide to put a curveball into the proceedings...

Fernando Alonso has claimed he turned down an offer for the vacant seat left by Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull in 2019.

After confirming he will leave Formula 1 at the end of the season during the summer break, unsurprisingly the Spaniard was a popular man ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix on Thursday.

However, it was in a conversation with Sky Sports that his revelation came out about Red Bull, a team who's boss Christian Horner had ruled out the Spaniard after Ricciardo's own surprising news.

“From one of the top three teams, l had the offer a couple of times this year,” Alonso said, later confirming it was the Anglo-Austrian team.

“It was not the case for me to join that adventure [because] at the moment F1 is not giving me the challenges I’m looking for," he explained.

“Outside F1, I’m discovering different series of motorsport that gives you different challenges and makes you a more complete driver and that’s what I’ll try to find in 2019."

Also Read:

• Alonso replacement Sainz targets long-term McLaren success
• Alonso has "made the right decision" to leave F1, says Button

Indeed, despite previously suggesting his absence from the grid may only be temporary should McLaren's competitiveness improve, now the 37-year-old is suggesting it is more likely to be permanent.

"Right now I’m thinking that it’s a goodbye but you know, life changes very quickly," said the double world champion. "Life also taught me in the past how things may change, in a couple of months time or in year's time.

"As I said also in the press release when we announced the retirement, [I wanted] to leave the door open because I don’t have the crystal ball to know what’s going to happen in the future," he added.

"As I said, for me, it’s a bye-bye, but who knows in the future?"

Renault did not make any special or exaggerated offers to Daniel Ricciardo during their successful attempts to sign him, managing director Cyril Abiteboul has claimed.

The Australian made a stunning late U-turn regarding his future at the start of the summer break, declining the contract that had been written up by Red Bull and joining the French manufacturer as they look to rekindle their championship-winning days.

Explaining his decision, Ricciardo claims he needed a "change in scenery" after becoming disenchanted by the same old routine with Abiteboul insisting there was no late extra incentives.

"Our offer has been around for a while, [Daniel] decided very late that it was the way that he wanted to follow for himself," he said at Spa on Friday.

"There has not been anything new on our side in the last moments, he knew the deal on the table in terms of financial arrangements," the Frenchman added, responding to claims of a late salary increase.

"But also in terms of the team - the shape we are in, the responsibility that we have to be part of the construction of the team, and therefore of the car which is still not at the level of Red Bull - and will not be at the level of Red Bull next year.

"We've not done or said anything, we are extremely genuine, we are honest in the way that we are presenting the facts," Abiteboul concluded.

Also Read:

• Verstappen questions Ricciardo's logic behind Renault move
• Marko: Ricciardo's call to reveal Red Bull future "strange"
• Honda will be ahead of Renault in the engine stakes in 2019 - Marko
• Abiteboul: Ricciardo wins with Renault unlikely until 2020

The Renault chief also thinks Red Bull shot themselves in the foot with how they managed the decision to switch to Honda engines for 2019, with Ricciardo not buying into the hype.

"I don't think he was impressed by Red Bull's communications strategy [of criticising Renault] and [hailing] how perfect Honda is," he later told Motorsport.com.

"I think it's a bit unfair to Renault. I think Honda is progressing but all the communication of Toro Rosso regarding Honda, when Honda has already introduced 11 or 12 power units.

"Frankly it's a joke, and unimpressive," he added.

Formula 1 governing body, the FIA has accepted the entry of Racing Point Force India, the new parent company headed by Lawrence Stroll, for the rest of the 2018 season.

The squad's participation at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix had been uncertain throughout Thursday because while everything was being prepared at Spa, the new comapny was still without an entry having only bought the assets after the team entered administration.

However, that all changed in the early evening when it was confirmed the entry previously held by Vijay Mallya had been revoked and given to the new Racing Point Force India entity.

The kicker is now the new team will start from zero points in the Constructors' Championship, although drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon retain theirs, but for newly installed team principal Otmar Szafnauer this is a good day for the Silverstone outfit,

"The new Racing Point Force India Team is delighted to be able to race when the championship resumes in Belgium this weekend," said the American.

"This heralds a new and exciting chapter for us. Just a few weeks ago, an uncertain future lay ahead, with more than 400 jobs at risk.

"Now the new team has the backing of a consortium of investors, led by Lawrence Stroll, who believe in us as a team, in our expertise and in our potential to achieve success on the track.

"We are grateful to the FIA, the Joint Administrators and Formula One Management for their support in helping us achieve such a welcome outcome and ultimately, we trust, for the sport and its many

Also Read:

• Lance Stroll's Force India move being lined up for Monza?

Now an F1 team owner, Stroll also spoke of his own pride in taking on what is a highly-respected operation that has been known to punch above its weight dating back to the Jordan days, a team that scored their first win at this weekend's venue, Spa-Francorchamps in 1998.

"On Monday I stood in front of the workforce at Silverstone and Brackley and applauded the achievements of this team in recent years," said Stroll in Belgium

"The strength of any company is the people that make it up and it’s a huge privilege to begin this exciting new journey with such a talented group of men and women.

"I’ve been fortunate to establish and grow a number of successful businesses, but the opportunity to take this team forward to the next level is perhaps the most exciting challenge yet.

"Together with my fellow shareholders, we will invest in new resources and bring fresh energy to empower the workforce to continue racing at the very highest level," he reassured

"We are all passionate about motor racing; we recognise the racers’ spirit in Force India, and we are extremely motivated to make this team even more special in the years ahead."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has reaffirmed his position that only once has Fernando Alonso been offered a seat at the team, despite the Spaniard's claims.

In an interview with Sky Sports, the double world champion, who will leave the grid at the end of this year, suggested he had multiple approaches by the Anglo-Austrian squad in 2007, '09, '11 and '13 before twice more this season.

Alonso then asked for an apology from Horner over his comments where he denied any Red Bull interest in the 37-year-old because he has a reputation for "creating chaos" and is a "difficult man to work with", that was not forthcoming.

"I’m not quite sure, maybe [Toro Rosso team principal] Franz [Tost] has made him an offer. There was no offer from Red Bull Racing this year," Christian told the British broadcaster in response.

"Fernando Alonso is a great driver, he is one of the best Grand Prix drivers out there. But he just doesn’t fit the profile of our team, the investment we have in youth, in a junior team with Toro Rosso. I think it will be sad for him to leave F1.

"But there was certainly never any offer on the table from Red Bull Racing."

Also Read:

• Alonso rejected Red Bull approach, expects 2018 to be his F1 "goodbye"
• Alonso: "Poor" and "predictable" F1 is why I decided to leave

If any contact had been had between the driver and the team, Horner also maintains it was not his side which instigated it.

"I had a couple of conversations with [Alonso's manager] Flavio [Briatore who] was obviously looking around. There was an enquiry that came from FOM immediately following Daniel’s announcement," he said.

"But the situation was always very clear that Fernando doesn’t fit in our thoughts and our future so there was never any offer.

"Why Fernando’s chosen to say that I’m not sure, I’m not sure whom he had the offer from."

Formula 1 motorsport chief Ross Brawn has revealed a first step towards implementing a budget cap will take place with a "soft" introduction in 2019.

The idea of limiting the expenditure of the teams through a cap is not new in the sport and as the spending gap between the top teams and the rest only increases, the concept resurfaced following Liberty Media's takeover at the start of 2017.

A figure of $150m has been mentioned and was unsurprisingly met with opposition by those teams who spend more, now it appears the sport is heading in that direction though with Brawn satisfied with what he has seen.

“With the FIA and in consultation with the teams we are progressing well on the economic initiatives,” he said ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

“Work on the mechanism of a cost cap is going well. At the moment we are looking to introduce it in a soft form, with dry runs in 2019, and 2020 and then it will become regulatory in ’21.

“I would say that barring some last-minute discussions that’s pretty much finalised now.”

Also Read:

• Gene Haas sure a budget cap would allow for greater competitiveness in F1
• Brawn: Gap between top three teams and midfield "far too big"
• Budget cap risks leaving F1 "open to ridicule", suggests Sauber boss

Though conceding not all teams will abide by the cap initially, as their current operations simply make doing so impossible, Brawn does see the potential for a closing of the gap that should also impact the performance differential.

“It will reduce the differential between the teams that are at that limit and those that aren’t,” he claimed.

“At the moment I think a top team spends twice what a midfield team spends and if we reduce that margin to around 10 or 20 per cent, then there is something for the midfield teams to aspire to.

“There will still be an aura around the big teams, but a midfield team doing a great job will be able to compete.”

Lewis Hamilton is seeing the increased pressure to perform in his title fight with Sebastian Vettel as a positive, believing it leads people to do "extraordinary things".

The reigning world champion holds a 24-point lead in the standings heading into the final nine races of the season, however, the general consensus is that his Mercedes is inferior to the Ferrari driven by Vettel in terms of performance.

As a result, it is upto the Briton to try and make up that gap through his own sheer talent and while most would likely crack in that situation, Hamilton insists he thrives.

"I can't tell you how Sebastian feels with the pressure, I can only tell you the pressure on me. It's as great as it can be," he said at Spa on Thursday.

"But I wouldn't want it any other way. As humans, pressure leads us to try to do extraordinary things, to evolve, to push the envelope, to be better in all areas."

Luck has very much been on the Mercedes driver's side in recent races with the weather intervening at both Hockenheim and the Hungaroring to help him score unlikely wins at the expense of his main rival.

Looking forward, the 33-year-old knows a crucial few weeks lay in store as the season ebbs and flows.

"We have had two great results which have been fortunate for us," he said. "I look at these next two high-speed circuits [Spa and Monza] and we need to hammer hard to come away with great points before Singapore, where we struggle.

"I don't know how we are going to fare around some of those other circuits and these two I feel like we have a better chance compared to the last two races and we need to make sure we deliver what we did the last race and capitalise on the positives."

Also Read:

• "More rounded" Vettel will be "tough to beat", says Red Bull boss Horner
• Ferrari has the advantage heading into final nine races, Vettel & Hamilton claim

After practice in Belgium on Friday though, it does appear the Scuderia is the team to beat but Hamilton was comfortable with where Mercedes stood as he finished second within two-tenths of pacesetter Kimi Raikkonen.

“It’s really close between us and Ferrari; it seems like we’ve both been bringing new updates at a similar rate," he commented.

"For the middle sector, you want to have a good amount of downforce, but you want less in the other sectors to gain speed down the straights. The challenge is to find the right balance and thankfully I have a great team working on that.”

Max Verstappen has questioned whether current Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo is making the right move by opting for a "change of scenery" at Renault in 2019.

As the Formula 1 family regathers for the first race after the summer break this weekend in Belgium, it marks the first time since his surprising announcement that the Australian has faced the media over his decision.

Speaking in the press conference on Thursday at Spa-Francorchamps though, Ricciardo insisted there was no ill will involved between himself and his current employer.

“I never said I was unloved [at Red Bull], it was more just the routine, going to the same factory year after year. I felt it made my enjoyment for the sport a bit numb at times," he claimed.

“To be clear, there was no falling out, no bad blood with anyone in the team, the bosses or anyone. I guess I got to a point where I felt I was ready for a change.

“Ready for a new challenge and for me personally some fresh motivation."

This is the fifth season Ricciardo has been with the Milton Keynes squad and each year has been the same story of being close to challenging Mercedes and scoring the occasional win but never being good enough to compete for the title.

And with the team switching to Honda engines next year, the 29-year-old does acknowledge some doubts.

“Honda still need to really prove themselves at the front, but there wasn’t one key factor other than really myself and wanting to have a change of scenery, it wasn’t necessarily the engine deal or finances." the Honey Badger added.

Also Read:

• Honda will be ahead of Renault in the engine stakes in 2019, says Red Bull adviser Marko
• Marko: Ricciardo's call to reveal Red Bull future "strange"
• Horner: Ricciardo didn't want a 'support role' to Verstappen at Red Bull

Even so, Verstappen, a figure some others have stated could have influenced Ricciardo's decision, still sees Red Bull pushing in the right direction.

“Everybody here wants to win races and win championships. Sometimes you have to be patient and work hard for it. Sometimes you need the whole package to come together," the Dutchman said.

“I think that is what Red Bull are working on at the moment and I am confident they can deliver a car which is capable of winning every race.

“That’s why it was a little bit of surprise to me to see him [Ricciardo] leaving and the change of scenery? I’m not sure it is the best change of scenery to go to.”

Sebastian Vettel made the ideal start to the Belgian Grand Prix weekend by leading first practice on Friday morning.

The German posted a 1m44.358s on the Soft compound tyre with just under half an hour to go to move ahead of Max Verstappen by a tenth-and-a-half around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

With Ferrari expected to have a strong advantage on the straight of the first and third sectors, thanks to a new upgraded engine, it is up to Mercedes and Red Bull to try and minimise the gap through less downforce or grip in the technical middle sector.

In the case of the latter, optimising top speed is very much the approach taken with wing levels akin to Monza on the RB14. Mercedes appear to have gone more conventional so far with Lewis Hamilton three-tenths down on his main championship rival in third albeit on the slower Medium compound.

Known as a Spa specialist, Kimi Raikkonen almost matched the Briton in fourth with fellow countryman Valtteri Bottas fifth a further 0.006s behind.

For the Finn though this weekend is already about damage limitation as Mercedes also bring an upgraded power unit although it will mean Bottas starts from the back of the grid for exceeding his allocation for the season

As a result, the Finn likely focused on long run pace as he was the first of the drivers to post his best on the Supersoft tyre, the fastest rubber made available by Pirelli for this weekend.

An engine issue looked like keeping Daniel Ricciardo out for the entire session, after occurring on his installation lap, but the Red Bull team managed to get him out for one timed lap at the end as he finished sixth albeit 1.2 seconds slower than Vettel.

It was still enough for the Australian to be clear of the chasing midfield which saw Force India and Renault leading with Esteban Ocon seventh ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in eighth.

Their respective teammates Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz completed the top 10 as the expected strength of the Ferrari-powered teams, Haas and Sauber, didn't materialise on Friday morning.

Instead it was Pierre Gasly in 11th for Toro Rosso ahead of Romain Grosjean in the first Haas car in P12 and the two Sauber's of Charles Leclerc and Marcus Ericsson behind him.

Grosjean's teammate Kevin Magnussen was only 17th as down at McLaren, Lando Norris made his race weekend debut and would finish a tenth clear of the man he could replace in 2019, Stoffel Vandoorne.

Perhaps unfairly for the Belgian driver though, his session was blighted by brake issues early on as he brought up the order.

Sergey Sirotkin had the only major incident of note as he spun exiting Rivage but continued en route to splitting the two McLaren's in P19.

Full results for the session can be seen below:

The latest update of Force India's bid to compete at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix has come with speculation of significant driver changes for next weekend's race at Monza.

Following the takeover by Lawrence Stroll during the summer break, the Silverstone-based squad is facing a race against time as the Canadian currently does not own an entry into the 2018 Formula 1 championship.

Instead, a new parent company has been set up with the assets of Force India being transferred but unanimous agreement is required from all teams before that entry is then also transferred to the new owners.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, the latest proposal would see Force India lose all of the points they have scored in the opening 12 races but would in effect re-enter the championship from zero making them eligible for points and prize money over the final nine events.

McLaren, Renault and Williams were reportedly against a similar idea put forward during the summer break, with Renault's managing director Cyril Abiteboul looking for reassurances over the growing influence Mercedes could play in the new Force India team.

However, should the situation be resolved it is likely to trigger a series of driver changes for the Italian Grand Prix.

Lance Stroll would make the widely expected move to his father's new purchase from Williams with Esteban Ocon reportedly heading to McLaren in place of Stoffel Vandoorne.

Current reserve driver Robert Kubica would then fill in for the Canadian at the Grove team with Stroll Sr. maintaining financial support until the end of the season.

All of this is purely speculation at the moment but after what has been a chaotic few weeks in the driver market, more changes could come sooner than anyone expected.