Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli finished fastest in the second free practice session (FP2) for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. He set a lap of 1:45.944 to finish 0.190 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, while Max Verstappen completed the top three after leading FP1 earlier on Friday.
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Antonelli Tops the Timesheets
Most drivers started the session on medium tires, and Antonelli quickly moved to the top of the standings. He later improved his benchmark on the soft compound, setting the fastest lap of the afternoon.
At the halfway point, Antonelli remained in first place, followed by Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Later in the session, Norris improved to second, while Verstappen stayed third.
George Russell continued to struggle for pace, finishing eighth while his teammate topped the session. Franco Colapinto also impressed for Alpine by ending the session ahead of the Mercedes driver.
Two Red Flags Interrupt FP2
The session was interrupted twice by red flags. The first stoppage came around 13 minutes after the start because of gravel on the racing line. During the interruption, Verstappen reported problems with his downshifts over the team radio.
The second red flag arrived about 15 minutes before the end after Pierre Gasly lost the rear of his Alpine at Fagnes and hit the barriers. The crash caused heavy damage to the car and forced another stoppage while marshals cleared the debris. Gasly was able to leave the car without injury.
The pit lane reopened with less than two minutes remaining, leaving only enough time for the drivers to line up at the pit exit and complete practice starts before the checkered flag.
Antonelli ended Friday on top, with Norris and Verstappen close behind. Despite the two interruptions, the teams completed enough running to collect valuable data ahead of Saturday’s qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps.
The full results of the free practices according to FIA.com:
