Antonelli fastest in Belgium FP3 as Hamilton crashes at Spa-Francorchamps
Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes recorded the fastest time in the final practice session (FP3) for the Belgian Grand Prix, held at Spa-Francorchamps. His performance placed him ahead of McLaren driver Lando Norris. The session concluded with a crash involving Ferrari‘s Lewis Hamilton, leaving his team with significant repair work before qualifying.
Antonelli continued his strong form from Friday, posting a lap time that was just over one-tenth of a second quicker than Norris. This consistent pace positions him as a strong contender for pole position in the upcoming qualifying session. His lead in the championship standings has been reduced recently, but his performance at Spa suggests a return to dominant form.
The FP3 session began with a delayed start from many drivers, as conditions were sunny and dry. Most of the field did not emerge onto the track until approximately 20 minutes into the one-hour session. Hamilton was among the first of the leading drivers to set a competitive time, initially topping the leaderboard with a 1m 47.436s on Pirelli’s soft tires.
Oscar Piastri, also from McLaren, was only slightly slower than Hamilton in the early stages. Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad briefly held the top spot before Hamilton reclaimed it with a 1m 46.789s. However, Antonelli, along with George Russell and Max Verstappen, had yet to complete their initial runs.
Verstappen’s first attempt placed him second, four-tenths behind Hamilton. The Mercedes duo, Antonelli and Russell, appeared on track nearly 25 minutes into the session, focusing on qualifying simulations. Antonelli then surged to the top of the timesheets with a 1m 45.990s, establishing an eight-tenths advantage over Hamilton.
Russell, Antonelli’s teammate, managed only P4, trailing Antonelli by 1.2 seconds. He reported issues with straight-line speed, losing six-tenths in the first sector alone. Verstappen later improved his time, moving into P2, less than two-tenths behind Antonelli, despite a minor excursion into the gravel at Turn 9.
Other drivers also faced challenges during the session. Isack Hadjar of Red Bull, who is set to incur a grid penalty this weekend due to new power unit components, experienced a stoppage at the pit lane exit before his car was recovered to the garage. Upon returning to the track, Hadjar nearly collided with Lance Stroll‘s Aston Martin at Turn 8 after locking up his brakes.
Antonelli had to abort one of his flying laps after running wide at La Source, reporting a gear selection issue. He attempted another flying lap in the final 10 minutes but failed to improve his time after a slide through the Les Combes chicane. Despite this, his earlier time of 1m 45.990s remained the quickest, with Norris less than two-tenths behind, followed by Verstappen and Russell.
Hamilton finished FP3 in P5, but his session ended dramatically with a crash on his final lap. The incident occurred as he lost the rear of his car through the left-hander of Turn 13, similar to a crash involving Pierre Gasly in FP2. Hamilton’s car went into the gravel and made contact with the barrier, causing damage that brought his Ferrari to a halt on the track.
Hamilton communicated to his race engineer, stating, “I’ve destroyed the car mate. I’m sorry.” The damage to the right-rear of his SF-26 prevented him from driving it back to the pit lane. Ferrari mechanics now face a race against time to repair the car for qualifying, which is scheduled for later on Saturday. Despite the crash, Ferrari has indicated they expect to complete the necessary repairs in time.
Hamilton’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, finished FP3 in P6. Piastri was P7, followed by the Audis of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. Hadjar secured P10. Lindblad and Liam Lawson, both from Racing Bulls, followed Hadjar. Ollie Bearman of Haas placed between the Alpines of Franco Colapinto and Gasly.
Alex Albon of Williams was P16, ahead of Valtteri Bottas from Cadillac and Carlos Sainz, also of Williams, who is under investigation for a yellow flag infringement. The session concluded with Esteban Ocon (Haas), Sergio Perez (Cadillac), and the Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, all preparing for qualifying later today.
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Source: formula1.com
