The Friday practice sessions at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix provided valuable insights into the performance and challenges faced by several teams at Spa-Francorchamps. Mercedes and McLaren showed promising pace improvements, while other teams worked through technical issues and track conditions that influenced tyre performance.
Mercedes experienced a difficult start in the first practice session due to early use of soft tyres on a low-grip track, but they made notable progress in the second session. Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time overall in FP2, while George Russell maintained consistent eighth-place finishes in both sessions. McLaren encountered a hydraulics problem on Oscar Piastri’s car, delaying his FP2 start, yet Lando Norris managed to post the second-fastest time in FP2 despite carrying a 10-place grid penalty.
Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen led FP1 and finished third in FP2, focusing on energy management and downshift challenges. His teammate Isack Hadjar showed solid pace but also faced a grid penalty. Ferrari demonstrated strong speed, with Lewis Hamilton placing second in FP1 and fourth in FP2. Charles Leclerc was third in FP1 but dropped to 11th in FP2 due to track limits infringements.
Alpine improved their performance from FP1 to FP2, with Franco Colapinto finishing seventh in the latter session. Pierre Gasly crashed in FP2 but was unharmed; the extent of the car damage was still being assessed. Racing Bulls introduced upgrades on Arvid Lindblad’s car, who finished ninth in both sessions, while Liam Lawson narrowly missed the top 10. Audi had a solid FP1 showing with Gabriel Bortoleto in the top 10 but slipped back in FP2, with Nico Hulkenberg concentrating on learning and setup work.
Haas brought a new front wing, with Oliver Bearman posting faster times than Esteban Ocon in both sessions. The team acknowledged being out-developed this season. Williams tested a new front wing as well; Alex Albon had a cleaner run compared to Carlos Sainz, who struggled with pace and sustained damage. Cadillac completed their planned tests without reliability issues, with Valtteri Bottas ahead of Sergio Perez, though both remained behind midfield rivals.
Aston Martin’s rookie Jak Crawford participated in FP1, while Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso found it difficult to match the pace of other teams. Stroll also carried a grid penalty. Pirelli reported reduced track grip due to rain and higher-than-expected degradation on soft tyres, suggesting that a one-stop race strategy could be likely.
These practice sessions highlighted the ongoing adjustments teams are making to their cars and strategies at Spa-Francorchamps. Mercedes and McLaren’s improvements stood out, but challenges remain across the field, particularly with tyre management and technical reliability. The data collected will be crucial as teams prepare for qualifying and the race itself.
