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By Open Chronicle News Desk with Agencies
Mercedes continued to underline its status as the team to beat ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix after championship leader Kimi Antonelli topped the third and final free practice session at Spa-Francorchamps. The session was marked by a heavy crash for Lewis Hamilton and another encouraging performance from Audi, with Gabriel Bortoleto once again finishing among the frontrunners.
Antonelli posted the fastest lap of the weekend so far, confirming the pace Mercedes had already shown during Friday’s second practice and strengthening the Italian’s position as one of the favourites for pole position.
Antonelli sets the benchmark
Antonelli recorded a best lap of 1:45.5, putting Mercedes comfortably at the top of the timesheets during the final hour of preparation before qualifying.
The Italian continued the impressive form that has defined much of his debut championship campaign, with the Mercedes displaying excellent balance through Spa’s high-speed corners and strong straight-line speed along the Kemmel Straight.
After leading Friday’s second practice, Antonelli once again demonstrated consistency over both qualifying simulations and longer race runs, giving Mercedes confidence ahead of the remainder of the weekend.
Mercedes confirms its favourite status
The Silver Arrows have steadily improved throughout the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
Following a relatively quiet opening practice session on Friday, Mercedes engineers made several setup adjustments that transformed the W17 into one of the quickest cars around Spa-Francorchamps.
Both Antonelli and George Russell reported improved grip, greater stability through Eau Rouge and Raidillon, and increased confidence under braking.
Their pace suggests Mercedes enters qualifying with a slight advantage over Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren.
Hamilton crashes at Pouhon
The biggest incident of the session involved Lewis Hamilton, whose Ferrari suffered significant damage after spinning into the barriers at the fast left-hand Pouhon corner.
Hamilton lost control while attacking a qualifying simulation, with the rear of the Ferrari stepping out before the seven-time world champion slid into the tyre barriers.
Although Hamilton climbed out of the car uninjured, the accident caused substantial damage to the front suspension, nose, and left-hand side of the SF-26.
The session was briefly interrupted while marshals recovered the car and cleared debris from the circuit.
Ferrari mechanics immediately began repairs in an effort to have the car ready for qualifying later in the day.
Red Bull and McLaren remain close
Max Verstappen remained among the leading contenders despite finishing behind Antonelli.
The reigning world champion continued working on race setup and aerodynamic balance, focusing on long-run consistency rather than chasing the absolute fastest lap until the closing minutes.
McLaren also showed encouraging pace with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri remaining firmly inside the leading group.
Both drivers completed productive programmes that included qualifying simulations and extended tyre evaluations, suggesting the British team remains a serious contender for both pole position and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Audi continues to surprise
One of the standout stories of the weekend has been Audi’s increasingly competitive performance.
Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto once again impressed by placing comfortably inside the top ten, continuing a series of mature and consistent performances during his first Formula 1 season.
The Audi package has appeared particularly effective through Spa’s medium- and high-speed sections, allowing Bortoleto to challenge several established midfield rivals.
Engineers also completed an extensive aerodynamic evaluation programme while collecting valuable long-run tyre data ahead of Sunday’s race.
The encouraging pace reinforces growing optimism that Audi is making steady progress as it develops its first Formula 1 project.
Tight midfield battle
Behind the leading teams, the midfield remained exceptionally competitive.
Only a few tenths of a second separated multiple constructors, highlighting how important qualifying could become around a circuit where overtaking opportunities exist but track position still plays a crucial role.
Teams continued experimenting with rear wing configurations to balance maximum speed on the long straights against sufficient downforce through Spa’s demanding corners.
Weather forecasts also remained under close observation, with changing Ardennes conditions capable of dramatically altering qualifying and race strategies.
Qualifying promises an intense battle
With all three practice sessions completed, Mercedes appears to hold a slight advantage heading into qualifying.
Antonelli’s pace over a single lap, combined with the car’s consistent performance during longer runs, positions the championship leader as the driver to beat.
However, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri and the Ferrari pair remain close enough to challenge if they can extract additional performance during qualifying.
Hamilton’s accident adds another layer of uncertainty, as Ferrari works against time to fully repair his car before the fight for pole position begins.
Meanwhile, Audi’s continued improvement, highlighted by another strong performance from Gabriel Bortoleto, provides one of the most encouraging stories of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend and suggests the team is steadily closing the gap to Formula 1’s established midfield.