[citation needed] Unlike rivals HRT, the MR01 was able to run both drivers, with Glock managing twelfth in the second Friday practice session.

Constantly, throughout the weekend, Glock and Pic outpaced their HRT rivals and were able to come very close to Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov.

The weekend began with abnormally cold temperatures,[citation needed] and Glock suffered an accident during free practice on Saturday.

In the early phase of the race tyre problems plagued everyone, with high wear and degradation causing many teams to alter their strategies.

Qualifying was a first for the MR01 in two ways: Glock only managed 23rd, his worst performance for the season, and Pic out-qualified his teammate for the first time, in 21st.

In the race Pic retired on lap 24 with engine issues, leaving Glock to bring the team home.

He finished two laps down in 19th, behind the Caterhams and Jenson Button, but ahead of both HRTs and both Williams cars of Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna.

At Spa, Pic set the fastest lap time in a wet Free Practice 2; the highest ever result for the team in any official F1 session.