2026 F1 Belgian Grand Prix Spa Free Practice 3: Top Results Revealed

Kimi Antonelli heads final practice at Spa with a 1:45.990, setting the benchmark for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix ahead of qualifying this morning.

The Mercedes driver finishes 0.139s clear of Lando Norris, whose consistent speed contrasts with a looming 10-place grid penalty.

Max Verstappen places third for Red Bull, only 0.009s slower than Norris, underlining the fine margins at the top.

Spa’s long lap and mixed-sector demands magnify setup choices, tyre warm-up, and drag efficiency, making FP3 data particularly valuable for balance and energy deployment.

Ferrari remains in the hunt despite experimental directions that did not immediately deliver. The team’s title calculus is explored in Ferrari’s title hopes, including Spa-specific trade-offs.

Penalties are a major storyline. Norris’s drop will shape Sunday’s grid, while Fernando Alonso also joins the list of drivers carrying setbacks.

Lewis Hamilton crashes in the final minutes, triggering a red flag and truncating run plans. Teams lose representative laps and must compress adjustments before qualifying.

Red Bull’s earlier sessions feature a faulty upgrade for Verstappen, now understood and addressed. The context around these changes is detailed in car upgrades coverage.

Mercedes is examining a potential infringement related to Antonelli’s car. Any stewards’ action would reshape strategy, but the headline pace remains encouraging.

Race prospects hinge on tyre degradation and sector execution. Early indications from long-run form suggest small but crucial differences in high-speed balance.

Qualifying at Spa starts this morning, with weather and out-lap management likely decisive. See the full qualifying schedule for session timings.

With Antonelli, Norris, and Verstappen closely matched, grid position will reward clean execution and rapid adaptation to evolving track conditions.

Visual Summary

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.