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ItalianoLewis Hamilton Falls Short to Max Verstappen in Belgian GP FP1
Lewis Hamilton trailed Max Verstappen in the first practice session of the Belgian Grand Prix, finishing 0.145s behind the Red Bull Racing driver on 21 July 2026.
What happened?
The session saw Verstappen move to the top of the timesheets in the first 10 minutes, setting a 1m47.859s. He was then followed by Hadjar, who dug out a smidgen more time to go less than a tenth faster on his next effort and take the lead. Verstappen then uncovered more time with a 1m47.070s to demonstrate Red Bull's early potency around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Why it matters for Lewis Hamilton
The Ferrari driver's pace is a concern ahead of the weekend's events, as he trails Verstappen by a significant margin. Hamilton's performance will be crucial in determining his chances of a strong finish in the Belgian Grand Prix.
What comes next?
The next practice session will take place on 22 July 2026, with the qualifying session scheduled for 23 July 2026. Lewis Hamilton will look to improve his pace and challenge Verstappen's dominance in the qualifying session.
The session saw Verstappen's hold over top spot not shaken, and his 1m47.070s remained the quickest lap of the session. The Red Bulls had found a handy groove in the middle sector, allowing the pair to make up a plentiful supply of time. The Ferraris then split the two Red Bulls to move into second and third, with Hamilton just 0.145s shy of Verstappen with his second run on a set of soft tyres.
Lewis Hamilton's performance will be crucial in determining his chances of a strong finish in the Belgian Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver will look to improve his pace and challenge Verstappen's dominance in the qualifying session. The next practice session will take place on 22 July 2026, with the qualifying session scheduled for 23 July 2026.
The session also saw Oscar Piastri face issues late on, being told to stop the car but allowed to bring his MCL40 back to the garage as the car retained enough hydraulic pressure to get back. The Australian looked set to pull up at the side of the road in the final couple of minutes of the session.