FP1 – Friday Practice Highlights

• Top 3:

  1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – fastest time by ~0.4s

  2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – ~0.4s behind

  3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – ~0.5s behind 

• Analysis:

  • Piastri displayed immediate dominance, mastering Spa’s infamous high-speed sections despite limited running.

  • Verstappen showed strong pace but lacked edge over McLaren.

  • Norris looked steady but slightly off the ultimate lap pace.

• Notable Moment:

  • Isack Hadjar nearly lost control through Eau Rouge, revealing car instability in elevation transitions.

Sprint Qualifying – Friday Afternoon

• SQ3 Top 10 & Grid:

Pos	Driver	Team	Gap to Piastri
1	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	1:40.510
2	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	+0.477 s
3	Lando Norris	McLaren	+0.618 s
4	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.768 s
5	Esteban Ocon	Haas	+1.055 s
6	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Williams	+1.251 s
7	Oliver Bearman	Haas	+1.347 s
8	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+1.449 s
9	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	+1.461 s
10	Gabriel Bortoleto	Sauber	+1.666 s

 

• Session Drama:

  • Lewis Hamilton spun out in SQ1, exiting the session early and placing P18.

  • Kimi Antonelli also spun during SQ1 and failed to progress further.

  • 
    George Russell struggled in SQ2, being eliminated in P13 and failing to reach SQ3.

• Analysis:

  • Piastri delivered an emphatic performance, setting a new Spa sprint lap record and out-classing Verstappen by nearly half a second.

  • Verstappen praised Piastri’s pace and admitted McLaren had a straight-line advantage.

  • Norris, though pleased, acknowledged he was "not the happiest" in P3, facing pressure from Piastri’s blistering pace.

Key Takeaways

• McLaren dominance: Piastri’s one-lap pace reaffirmed McLaren’s strong form, with Norris close behind.

• Spa-specific setup: McLarens appeared optimized for Spa’s high-speed layout, especially in top speed and aero stability.

• Ferrari & Red Bull: Leclerc managed P4 in SQ3, but Hamilton’s early exit highlighted setup vulnerability. Verstappen showed challenge but couldn’t match Piastri.

• Surprise performances: Ocon and Sainz making SQ3 (P5 & P6) speaks to midfield strength in tricky conditions.