Practice sessions at Spa highlight early front-runners and struggling teams ahead of Belgian Grand Prix

Friday's two free-practice sessions at Spa-Francorchamps provided an early indication of form ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli posted the fastest lap in the second session after the team adjusted the car's setup between sessions, a change described by trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin as improving grip and balance. Antonelli said the long-run pace felt strong and noted that further work was required before qualifying.

Mercedes driver George Russell was slower, finishing three-tenths off Antonelli in the first session and more than a second behind in the second, a gap attributed partly to earlier power-unit issues. The team will need to address straight-line performance before Sunday.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen topped the first practice for the first time this season and placed third in the second session, indicating competitive short-run and long-run pace. Verstappen commented that the car was operating within a good performance window.

Aston Martin struggled, with both cars more than five seconds off the pace in each session. Team principal Mike Krack acknowledged the difficulty of the circuit and emphasized realistic expectations, stating the team would focus on execution and decision-making.

Alpine's Franco Colapinto surprised by qualifying seventh in the second practice, ahead of Mercedes and several rivals. He attributed his performance to comfortable handling in cooler conditions and the circuit's lower-speed corners.

Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly suffered a crash at the Fagnes chicane that damaged his rear wing and tyres, ending his session early and leaving the extent of mechanical damage uncertain.

Haas showed improvement, with Ollie Bearman describing the car as feeling strong after testing a new front wing. Bearman finished ahead of teammate Esteban Ocon, who was within two-tenths of his time in the second session.