Rain threat to Belgian Grand Prix

FORMULA One’s top drivers will not race in the Belgian Grand Prix if Spa-Francorchamps suffers any more torrential rain, they claimed amid fears over their safety on a wet track.

The race’s second practice session was washed out due to a continuous downpour which left rivers of water streaming across the Spa track in Belgium’s Ardennes forest.

Only three cars left the pits during the one-hour session - and one of those never made it back.

Vitantonio Liuzzi was the first man to dare to venture out on track and he soon paid the price for his bravery.

After tip-toeing through the ultra-fast Eau Rouge section, the Italian was caught out under braking for Les Combes.

The rear of his Red Bull snapped out of control on the sodden track, pitching him into one barrier and then another and sending a clear warning to the rest of the drivers.

Robert Doornbos was the only other man on track at the time and he slowly trundled back to the pits while world championship leader Fernando Alonso came out for one lap only because he missed first practice.

If race officials judge conditions to be too dangerous tomorrow they can order the race to be run behind a safety car for some or all of the 44 laps, when drivers would be banned from racing.

BAR-Honda star Jenson Button said: “If it is raining like that no, we can’t race on Sunday. It would be too wet, definitely.

“It is dangerous. You are not in control of the car in any way.”