Verstappen tops Belgian GP first practice, Mercedes struggle

Published Jul 17, 12:35 PM UTC

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Max Verstappen surprisingly set the fastest time in first practice for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, outpacing Lewis Hamilton by 0.145 seconds. Charles Leclerc was third, two-tenths off the pace. Red Bull, yet to win a race in 2026, showed strong early speed with Isack Hadjar fourth. Mercedes struggled, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli sixth (0.533s behind) and George Russell eighth. Antonelli is near his engine limit after a potential problem with his Silverstone power unit; a new engine would trigger a 10-grid penalty. Lando Norris already has a penalty for exceeding control electronics limits. Oscar Piastri finished fifth but suffered a late hydraulics issue. Verstappen's future remains uncertain amid talks between his management and McLaren, but a strong Red Bull car could keep him at the team.

Source

SkySports | NewsWestern

Original headline: Verstappen tops Hamilton as Mercedes struggle in first Spa practice

Original language: EN-GB

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Verstappen Tops Hamilton as Mercedes Struggle in Belgian GP First Practice

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People and interests

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Kimi Antonelli George Russell Red Bull Mercedes