The National Times - Rain delays Belgian Grand Prix sprint race

The race was originally due to start at 1500GMT (17:00 local time), but was delayed by five minutes following the late completion of the sprint shootout earlier.

The rain, however, meant that further delays were inevitable.

The conditions at the long and sprawling, if also majestic and fast, Spa-Francorchamps circuit have been a focus of much concern since a fatal accident earlier in July when Dutch teenager Dilano van't Hoff was killed in a wet race.

Defending double world champion and runaway leader of the title race Max Verstappen starts the sprint race from pole position for Red Bull with McLaren's Australian rookie Oscar Piastrri second on the grid.

R.Campbell--TNT