ANTONELLI LEADS FP2 AT SPA AS MERCEDES RETURNS TO THE TOP
The second free practice session of the Belgian Grand Prix showed a much stronger Mercedes, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli finishing in first place at Spa-Francorchamps. The Italian driver delivered an impressive performance and placed the W17 ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
After a difficult start in FP1, Mercedes made several changes to improve the balance of the car. The team increased the aerodynamic load with a different rear wing setup and also adjusted its energy management system to better match the grip level of the Spa circuit.
McLaren also showed better pace compared with the morning session, with Norris finishing just two tenths behind Antonelli. However, the team continued to experience some difficulties, with Oscar Piastri spending part of the session in the garage while mechanics worked on his MCL40 before sending him back onto the track.
Ferrari had a more difficult afternoon, especially during the qualifying simulations. Lewis Hamilton ended the session seventh tenths behind Antonelli, while Charles Leclerc also struggled to match the pace of Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull.
The session started with teams using medium tyres, similar to FP1, before switching to the soft compound for qualifying simulations. Mercedes immediately showed strong pace, with Antonelli briefly leading ahead of Isack Hadjar and Verstappen.
Racing Bulls continued their impressive form at Spa, once again proving to be one of the strongest midfield teams. Rookie Arvid Lindblad showed strong pace, while Franco Colapinto surprised with Alpine by finishing the qualifying simulation in a competitive position.
When the teams switched to soft tyres, Antonelli confirmed Mercedes’ improvement by setting the fastest lap of the session. Norris followed in second place, only two tenths behind, while Verstappen was third around four tenths away from the Italian. Hamilton completed the top five, followed by Hadjar and Colapinto, who impressed with Alpine.
The final part of FP2 focused on race simulations. Antonelli continued to show strong consistency, maintaining competitive lap times around the Spa circuit. McLaren also looked strong, while Red Bull appeared to lose some performance during longer runs due to tyre graining, a problem Verstappen also experienced in FP1.
Ferrari completed only a short race simulation before the session was interrupted by another red flag. Pierre Gasly crashed his Alpine heavily into the barriers, damaging the rear wing, although the French driver was able to walk away safely.
The session ended with Mercedes and McLaren confirming their return to the front, while Red Bull maintained a competitive level despite some long-run difficulties. Ferrari, however, still appears to be searching for performance, especially over a single lap.
Share this content:
