Image: from RaceGear NG X @RaceGearNG
By Open Chronicle News Desk with Agencies
Max Verstappen made a strong start to the Belgian Grand Prix weekend by topping the opening Formula 1 practice session at Spa-Francorchamps, leading a competitive Ferrari challenge while Gabriel Bortoleto delivered another encouraging performance to finish inside the top ten.
The opening hour of running provided teams with their first opportunity to evaluate setups on one of Formula 1’s most demanding circuits, with Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren all showing competitive pace ahead of a crucial weekend in Belgium.
FP1 || Max entre los Ferrari. β²οΈ #BelgianGP
P1) Verstappen
P2) Hamilton +0.145
P3) Leclerc +0.207
P4) Hadjar +0.252
P5) Piastri +0.452
P6) Antonelli +0.533
P7) Norris +0.861
P8) Russell +0.889
P9) Lindblad +1.164
P10) Bortoleto +1.336 pic.twitter.com/cBCmKaodH5— πππ§π’ πππ§ππ’π¨π₯π (@DanniMendiola) July 17, 2026
Verstappen leads the field
The reigning world champion clocked a best lap of 1:47.070, placing Red Bull at the top of the timesheets after a session in which the Dutchman steadily improved throughout the hour.
Lewis Hamilton finished second for Ferrari, just 0.145 seconds behind Verstappen, while teammate Charles Leclerc completed the top three, only 0.207 seconds off the benchmark.
The close margins suggest Ferrari could once again challenge Red Bull at Spa, particularly over longer runs as teams continue refining their race pace.
Red Bull shows an encouraging pace
Red Bull enjoyed one of its strongest practice sessions of the season.
Isack Hadjar continued his impressive form by taking fourth place, only a quarter of a second behind Verstappen despite knowing he faces significant grid penalties later in the weekend due to power unit changes.
Oscar Piastri completed the top five for McLaren after another consistent session, although his programme ended with a minor technical issue that forced him to return slowly to the pits near the end of FP1.
Mercedes quietly gathers data
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished sixth for Mercedes, more than half a second behind Verstappen, with teammate George Russell ending the session eighth.
Mercedes appeared to focus primarily on gathering setup information rather than chasing outright lap times, a strategy the team has often adopted during Friday practice sessions this season.
Lando Norris slotted into seventh for McLaren between the two Mercedes drivers, despite carrying a grid penalty for the weekend following power unit component changes.
Bortoleto continues to impress
One of the standout performances came from Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, who placed his Audi in 10th position.
Bortoleto finished ahead of several more experienced competitors and continued to demonstrate growing confidence during his first Formula 1 season.
Audi completed its planned programme early with the Brazilian, bringing him into the garage before the end of the session after collecting the necessary aerodynamic and tyre data.
His performance adds to a series of encouraging weekends that have established him as one of the most promising newcomers on the 2026 grid.
Young drivers gain valuable experience
Friday’s opening session also featured rookie participation as required under Formula 1 regulations.
American driver Jak Crawford took over Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, gaining valuable Formula 1 track time around Spa-Francorchamps while completing the team’s scheduled evaluation programme.
The mandatory rookie sessions continue to provide emerging talents with opportunities to gain experience at Grand Prix weekends while allowing teams to assess prospects.
Spa remains one of Formula 1’s greatest challenges
Spa-Francorchamps continues to be regarded as one of the most technically demanding circuits in Formula 1.
Its combination of high-speed corners, long straights, dramatic elevation changes, and unpredictable weather forces teams to find a compromise between aerodynamic efficiency and cornering performance.
The famous Eau Rouge-Raidillon sequence, the Kemmel Straight, and the fast-flowing middle sector place enormous demands on both drivers and engineers, making Friday’s practice sessions particularly valuable.
With weather conditions often changing rapidly in the Ardennes forest, teams must also prepare for the possibility of mixed conditions during qualifying and the Grand Prix.
Tight battle expected
The first practice session suggested the Belgian Grand Prix could produce another closely contested weekend.
Red Bull appears to have rediscovered some of its traditional speed at Spa, while Ferrari remains firmly in contention after both Hamilton and Leclerc finished within two tenths of Verstappen’s fastest lap.
McLaren and Mercedes also demonstrated enough pace to remain in the fight, setting the stage for an intriguing battle as teams continue refining their cars during the remaining practice sessions.
For Gabriel Bortoleto, another top-ten finish in practice provides further evidence of his rapid adaptation to Formula 1 and strengthens hopes of another competitive qualifying performance later in the weekend.