F1 ready for fickle Spa weather
Not a cloud in the sky could be seen throughout most of the charming opening day at Spa-Francorchamps, as the popular circuit's paddock filled with activity and some teams like Red Bull practiced pit stops on the other side of the garages.
Some weather forecasts, however, are forecasting a chance of rain for later this weekend, despite the fact it was unseasonably hot in the region just last week.
In a team preview, Red Bull humorously advised visitors to Spa this weekend to have at the ready things like "rubber boots", a "thermal vest" and "fog lights".
Temperatures will hover in the high teens to low twenties, while a prediction earlier this week by Meteo France, F1's official weather forecaster, said rain is actually not a high likelihood.
F1's official website on the other hand says "showers are forecast for Thursday through Saturday", although race-day Sunday should be dry and only partially cloudy.
"Even when the weather seems reasonable at Spa you have to be prepared for anything," said Toyota's technical chief Pascal Vasselon. "But don't think that Spa cannot offer very good weather.
"I live close to there and the number of nice sunny days is actually very high; its reputation is exaggerated," the Frenchman added.