Lewis Hamilton has indicated that Mercedes remains the team to beat following the Friday practice sessions at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, alongside McLaren. Despite Ferrari’s apparent struggles during the opening runs at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton highlighted the strengths of his rivals and provided insight into the challenges his team faces on this demanding circuit.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap in Friday practice with a time of 1m45.944s. Close behind were McLaren’s Lando Norris, trailing by just two-tenths of a second, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who was half a second off the pace. Ferrari, led by Hamilton, was 0.747 seconds slower than Mercedes, with particular difficulties noted in the middle sector of the track.
Hamilton praised Mercedes as “always the team to beat” and pointed out their expected advantage on Spa’s long straights. He also acknowledged McLaren’s competitiveness, especially in medium- and high-speed corners, which could prove significant over the course of the weekend. Ferrari’s time loss in the middle sector was attributed by Hamilton to downforce-related issues, which the team will need to address to improve their pace.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur urged caution in interpreting the Friday practice times, reminding that different fuel loads and engine modes can significantly affect lap times. He also noted that Friday pace has not consistently predicted qualifying performance in recent non-sprint race weekends, with only one instance in the last three where the fastest Friday team secured pole position.
The practice sessions underlined the competitive nature of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, with Mercedes and McLaren showing strong pace, while Ferrari works to resolve its mid-sector challenges. Red Bull remains in the mix, with Verstappen close behind the leading teams.
Hamilton’s comments reflect the current state of play after Friday’s running, emphasizing the ongoing battle for performance at Spa-Francorchamps. The weekend’s sessions will continue to reveal how the teams adapt and respond to the circuit’s unique demands.