Verstappen leads Spa practice as penalties hit Hadjar and Norris

Max Verstappen topped the timesheets in the first practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, finishing 0.145 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton. The Red Bull driver’s pace was achieved despite utilising a standard rear wing configuration, a strategic move to refine a newer design that contributed to high-speed crashes in previous races. Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, completed the top three.

The session also saw significant regulatory consequences for two other front-runners. Isack Hadjar, who was the fourth-fastest driver, and championship leader Lando Norris, who finished seventh, were both issued ten-place grid penalties. The penalties stem from exceeding permitted component limits, with Hadjar penalised for engine parts and Norris for battery units.

Red Bull opted for the standard rear wing, which costs approximately 0.2 seconds of lap time at Spa compared to the newer 'flip-flop' design. The team is using the session to gather data on the older configuration before potentially reverting to the newer, faster setup for the Hungarian Grand Prix next weekend.

Mercedes showed strong form with Kimi Antonelli finishing sixth fastest. The championship leader sits 25 points clear of his rivals as the season approaches its halfway point, although the calendar remains subject to potential changes due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Antonelli’s teammate, George Russell, was eighth quickest, trailing by 0.356 seconds.

The practice session was largely incident-free, though Liam Lawson experienced significant oversteer at the Stavelot corner early in the session but avoided an incident. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri encountered a hydraulic pressure issue with one minute remaining, forcing him to limp around the track to complete the session.