page_title: 1999 Belgian Grand Prix
section_title: Practice and qualifying
hierarchical_section_title: 1999 Belgian Grand Prix / Report / Practice and qualifying
caption_attribution_description: English: Mika Hakkinen at the 2009 DTM Round at Norisring
context_page_description: The 1999 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 August 1999 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Francorchamps, Belgium. It was the twelfth race of the 1999 Formula One season. The 44-lap race was won by David Coulthard for the McLaren team, from a second position start. Mika Häkkinen finished second in the other McLaren, with Heinz-Harald Frentzen third in a Jordan.
  Häkkinen's second place promoted him into the lead of the Drivers' Championship, overtaking Eddie Irvine. Irvine was second, one point behind Häkkinen, while Coulthard was third. In the Constructors' Championship, McLaren were promoted into the lead, nine points ahead of Ferrari, with Jordan a further fifty-nine behind.
context_section_description: Four practice sessions were held before the Sunday race—two on Friday, and two on Saturday. The Friday morning and afternoon sessions each lasted an hour. The third and final practice sessions were held on Saturday morning and lasted 45 minutes. The Friday sessions were held in dry and sunny conditions. Häkkinen was quickest in the first session, with a time of 1:54.396 that was less than half a second faster than Coulthard. Williams driver Ralf Schumacher was just off Coulthard's pace; Salo, Irvine and Jean Alesi rounded out the top six; within 1.3 seconds of Häkkinen's time. In the second practice session, Coulthard was fastest with a time of 1:53.577, ahead of Häkkinen, Fisichella, Frentzen, Hill and Schumacher.
  Saturday's afternoon qualifying session lasted for an hour. During this session, the 107% rule was in effect, which necessitated each driver set a time within 107% of the quickest lap to qualify for the race. Each driver was limited to twelve laps. Häkkinen clinched his tenth pole position of the season with a time of 1:50.329. He was joined on the front row by Coulthard, who was one-tenth of a second behind. Frentzen qualified third, though be believed he could have gone faster due to two separate red flag incidents.
  BAR drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Ricardo Zonta both suffered massive, high-speed accidents at the fast Eau Rouge sweep during the qualifying session. Both accidents caused the session to be suspended.
caption: Mika Häkkinen (pictured in 2009) took his tenth pole position of the season.
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