Welcome to Total-Motorsport.com for live coverage of Qualifying at the 2026 F1 Belgian GP, as the grid is decided for Sunday’s race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Kimi Antonelli heads into Qualifying as the driver to beat after topping both FP2 and FP3 for Mercedes. The championship leader set Friday’s fastest time before returning to the top in final practice with a 1:45.990, beating Lando Norris by 0.139 seconds.
Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull Racing, ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. However, Hamilton’s final practice ended with a crash at Fagnes, leaving Ferrari facing a race against time to complete repairs before Qualifying.
F1 2026 Belgian GP Qualifying LIVE: Latest News and Updates
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That’s all from us now, but we will be back on Sunday for the Belgian Grand Prix with live coverage, news and reaction from the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
It’s Kimi Antonelli on pole ahead of Max Verstappen, but will the Mercedes be able to keep the lead into Les Combes at the end of the Kemmel Straight?
Find out with Total-Motorsport from 14:00 CEST (local time) in Belgium.
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
RESULTS: How they finished up at the Belgian Grand Prix
Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position for the 2026 Belgian GP after delivering a commanding performance at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
The Mercedes driver set a 1:44.361 to beat Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds, with Lando Norris third fastest for McLaren before a 10-place grid penalty dropped him to 14th on the starting grid.
Here are the complete qualifying results from the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:44.361 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.317 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.440 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.508 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.532 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.534 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.655 |
| 8 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +0.782 |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1.267 |
| 10 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | No Time |
| 11 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | Out in Q2 |
| 12 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | Out in Q2 |
| 13 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | Out in Q2 |
| 14 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | Out in Q2 |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | Out in Q2 |
| 16 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | Out in Q2 |
| 17 | Alexander Albon | Williams | Out in Q1 |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | Out in Q1 |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | Out in Q1 |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | Out in Q1 |
| 21 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Out in Q1 |
| 22 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | Out in Q1 |
Antonelli reacts to pole at the Belgian GP
Kimi Antonelli is on pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix as the Formula 1 championship leader delivers the goods for Mercedes on Saturday, July 18.
The 19-year-old managed to fend off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, despite their attempt to use Isack Hadjar for a tow, and now takes his first pole since the Monaco GP on June 6.
“It’s great to be on pole. It was not a very straightforward session,” Antonelli said. “The track changed a lot. But we were able to improve lap by lap and to bring home pole, which was nice.
“But tomorrow is another day and obviously I have Max starting next to me so it’s going to be important to get a good start and then be ahead into Turn 5.
“The last lap was good. I improved a lot in sector two especially so it was a nice lap.
“Of course there was still a little bit there and there, but happy with that.”
Verstappen happy with second at Spa
Max Verstappen and Red Bull threw everything they had at qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix as they looked to steal pole position away from Mercedes.
The team even used Isack Hadjar twice in a bid to overcome the Silver Arrows’ power unit with a tow, but ultimately came up short. So what does Verstappen make of his afternoon in Spa?
“It was definitely helping me, otherwise I would not be standing here,” Verstappen said, of the tow. “Otherwise I think I would be like P6, or something.
“So, I think Isack today, knowing that has to start at the back of the grid, he did a really good job giving me a tow in the final sector, and that’s why we’re standing right here.
“For sure, tomorrow I think I’ll be looking in my mirrors at the people around me, but at least today we had a really good result. I think the car has been quite decent the whole weekend, not on the level maybe that Kimi was doing.
“But we’re happy to be on the front row with how we executed as a team.”
Norris bags third for a short while in Belgium
Lando Norris proved why he is a Formula 1 world champion by qualifying third at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday, although a grid-drop penalty ultimately means he will slip down to 14th.
The Brit, who is half-Belgian, sounds a little bit gutted about it too at his second home race, but the McLaren star vows to charge back through the field.
“We’ve not really changed anything but we’re a bit quicker on this track. It’s nice to be standing here,” Norris said. “Just not nice knowing I have to go 10 places back tomorrow.
“Unfortunate that this isn’t genuinely where we are starting tomorrow because it would be nice to have a little bit of a fight with these guys but we made the most of it.
“It was still a very good qualifying, a very good lap for me. Honestly, I’ve been pretty happy all weekend. It’s a little bit of a home race for me, so always a bit of a boost and I’ve performed well all weekend so far.
“So hopefully we can still have a good race tomorrow and have some fun.”
BREAKING: Antonelli takes pole for the Belgian Grand Prix
Kimi Antonelli delivers the goods once again for Mercedes as the Formula 1 championship leader takes pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen!
The Italian delivered a 1:44.361 to smash Verstappen’s best effort by over three tenths, who tried to use the tow from Isack Hadjar but to no avail!
Lando Norris qualified third but he will start from 14th on the grid, promoting George Russell to third, Charles Leclerc to fourth and Lewis Hamilton to fifth.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:44.361 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.317 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.440 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.508 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.532 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.534 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.655 |
| 8 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +0.782 |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1.267 |
| 10 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | No Time |
3 minutes to go: Out-laps underway!
The drivers are now embarking on their out-laps for the final time in qualifying for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, and we will find out who is on pole position very soon!
Lando Norris is currently fastest for McLaren, but he is carrying a 10-place grid drop penalty and therefore cannot start on pole position on Sunday, which means the spot currently goes to Kimi Antonelli.
Will anyone be able to deny the Italian? Find out here with Total-Motorsport.com!
5 minutes to go: Green Flag! We are back running
The clock is ticking down once again in this final part of qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix as drivers prepare for their final chances of securing pole pisition.
But nobody is rushing out at the moment as they wait for the perfect conditions at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, for maximum pace and grip.
Who will take pole position?
6 minutes to go: Pit lane closed with a short term Red Flag
Oscar Piastri runs slightly wide at the Stavelot corner and dips his wheel into the gravel, pulling some of the stones onto the racing line at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
The FIA throws the Red Flag out there to allow the marshals to come onto the track to clean the debris, making sure nobody will have punctures on their final runs.
The session will resume at 17:04 CET in Belgium.
9 minutes to go: Hadjar gives Verstappen a tow
Red Bull are using all of the tricks they can at the Belgian Grand Prix as Isack Hadjar slows down to give Max Verstappen a tow towards the end of the lap…
But it isn’t good enough! Lando Norris takes provisional pole as Kimi Antonelli manages to beat Verstappen by 0.144 and Charles Leclerc slots into the middle of the pair too!
Lewis Hamilton is fifth, George Russell is sixth and Oscar Piastri is seventh to round out the times of the top teams at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Hamilton in fifth is just over 0.250 behind Norris, so it’s very tight between the field!
11 minutes to go: Some unsafe releases?
Oscar Piastri is forced to come to a stop in the fast lane of the pit lane with the Racing Bulls barging its way ahead of the McLaren to claim track position.
The Australian, known for his dry humour and calm composure behind the steering wheel, simply quips that there was around three unsafe releases.
Will there be some post-qualifying penalties if the FIA decide to take a look?
GREEN FLAG: Who takes pole position for the Belgian GP?
The final phase of qualifying can finally get underway and now it’s all eyes to the front of the field as we look to find out who will take pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix!
Kimi Antonelli looks to have found some pace and topped Q2, but there isn’t a lot of margin for error behind with McLaren, Ferrari and red Bull close to the championship leader.
Will the Italian secure pole, or is there a shock in store at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Start of Q3 delayed: Hulkenberg stops on track
Nico Hulkenberg has actually come to a stop on track, just after the Corner with No Name, with a hydraulic leak as his Audi breaks down moments after his Q2 elimination.
Was the error sudden? Or was it a progressive issue that affected his final lap and potentially sent him out of qualifying earlier than he would have hoped?
Qualifying will now have a slight delay before resumption.
Chequered Flag: Q2 ends with Lawson eliminated
That will be a disappointing result for Liam Lawson as he misses out on reaching Q3 , meaning he will start the Belgian Grand Prix from ninth on the grid once penalties are applied.
After a good run of reaching Q3, his streak comes to a close on a day in which he could have qualified as high as sixth at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps! He will not be happy.
Out in Q2: Bearman, Sainz, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Gasly and Lawson.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:45.142 |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.255 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.312 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.401 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.447 |
| 6 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +0.487 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.529 |
| 8 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.547 |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | +0.681 |
| 10 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +0.940 |
| 11 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.978 |
| 12 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.189 |
| 13 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.250 |
| 14 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +1.529 |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +1.635 |
| 16 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.637 |
| 17 | Alexander Albon | Williams | Out in Q1 |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | Out in Q1 |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | Out in Q1 |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | Out in Q1 |
| 21 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Out in Q1 |
| 22 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | Out in Q1 |
3 minutes to go: Cars leaving the pit lane now
The drivers are queuing in the pit lane and the second runs will start filtering through any moment, with George Russell on a used set of soft tyres!
That’s a bit of a gamble from Mercedes, and speaking of gambles, some cars are still in the garages! Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris are sat waiting for a signal to leave.
Do they think they are safe and wish to save a set of tyres? Those who are not safe are Ollie Bearman, Carlos Sainz, Franco Colapinto, Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson.
6 minutes to go: Second runs arriving soon as Russell looks to get out of trouble
The second runs will get underway soon at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as drivers look to improve on their best laps and edge closer to Kimi Antonelli and his time-topping Mercedes.
One man desperate to do so will be George Russell in eighth, who is only half-a-second above the elimination zone! He could potentially be knocked out if the track evolves fast enough and he doesn’t improve.
Isack Hadjar is also on the bubble for Red Bull, which would deny Max Verstappen the boost of a tow in Q3 as the Dutchman looks to hunt down his first pole position of the year.
9 minutes to go: First runs on the board with Antonelli fastest
Kimi Antonelli has found the pace expected of the championship leader as he delivers a 1:45.142 to eclipse the field by a pretty comfortable margin at the Belgian GP.
Charles Leclerc is 0.255 behind the Mercedes, with Lando Norris in third for McLaren, Lewis Hamilton in fourth for Ferrari and Max Verstappen in fifth.
George Russell is half-a-second off, and officially in trouble! He’s in eighth.
GREEN FLAG: Q2 gets underway at the Belgian GP
We have the green light at the end of the pit lane and drivers can get the second part of qualifying underway, and this time they have not chosen to wait around.
Our remaining 16 drivers are swiftly into the queue to get out onto the asphalt surface of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, with Max Verstappen running fresh soft tyres.
Drivers have 15 minutes to get their best efforts on the board this time. Once again, the slowest six are out.
Chequered Flag: Q1 ends in Spa
Alex Albon suffers a cruel ending to his Saturday afternoon at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as the Williams driver finds himself eliminated by just 0.007.
It was a late improvement by Franco Colapinto that bumped the veteran driver out of qualifying, as a frustrating campaign shows little signs of improving.
At the top of the times, Lando Norris leads the way with a 1:45.865 as Kimi Antonelli seems to be struggling!
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:45.865 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +0.065 |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | +0.197 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.259 |
| 5 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.320 |
| 6 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +0.326 |
| 7 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.413 |
| 8 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.439 |
| 9 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.568 |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.636 |
| 11 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +0.744 |
| 12 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +0.814 |
| 13 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +0.930 |
| 14 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +1.028 |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +1.215 |
| 16 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.248 |
| 17 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +1.255 |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.936 |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +1.958 |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +2.106 |
| 21 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +4.137 |
| 22 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +4.312 |
5 minutes to go: Second runs due shortly
The drivers have headed back into the pit lanes to study some data and have a mini debrief with their engineers and now the second runs are due up.
The top of the times are not really that important in Q1 at the Belgian Grand Prix, and the focus is on those at the bottom of the order – so who needs to get faster?
At the moment, it’s Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Esteban Ocon and Franco Colapinto need to pick up the pace.
8 minutes to go: Norris now fastest as Hamilton sends Ferrari complaint
Lando Norris is now the fastest man at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as the defending Formula 1 world champion delivers a 1:45.865 for McLaren.
He’s just 0.065 ahead of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, and so far, that is a bit more consistent with the story of Free Practice 2 and Free Practice 3.
Kimi Antonelli is the main outlier, however, he was thought to be the favourite for pole but had a poor opening lap, and speaking of suboptimum laps, Lewis Hamilton isn’t happy either.
The seven-time world champion tells Ferrari that his temperatures were too low coming out of the garage, as he goes 10th fastest after his big crash in FP3.
10 minutes to go: Verstappen pips Antonelli!
Max Verstappen sets the early benchmark at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps with a 1:45.930 to, surprisingly, beat Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes!
The Italian is thought to be the man to beat this weekend, but his effort comes up short of the Red Bull ahead by almost four tenths!
Antonelli’s lap must have been far from ideal, especially given the Racing Bulls of Arvid Lindblad also managed to get ahead of the 19-year-old.
15 minutes to go: Cadillacs on track
Valtteri Bottas leads Sergio Perez out of the pit lane and the first cars have hit the track for the Belgian Grand Prix, with the Cadillac pair looking for a first Q2 appearance of the season.
They are even practicing a slipstream for extra top line speed at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, looking to maximise everything they can.
Will it work out?
GREEN FLAG: Qualifying begins at the Belgian GP
The clock is officially ticking and qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix is underway, although the cars are not rushing out onto the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Drivers will have 18 minutes to put their quickest times on the board, and the bottom six will be eliminated from the remainder of the session.
Expect a double elimination for Aston Martin, in what has been a torrid season so far.
Will Lando Norris beat Kimi Antonelli?
Lando Norris has finished Free Practice 2 and Free Practice 3 in second place for his McLaren team, only bettered by the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli.
He’s a little bit over a tenth behind the Italian and remains in the hunt, perhaps as the best challenger in this qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Will he be the fastest man in quali? It will be an encouraging sign for McLaren, even if their defending Formula 1 champion would only start from 11th as a result of penalties.
ICYMI: Your Free Practice 3 Results
Kimi Antonelli completed a clean sweep of Saturday practice at the 2026 Belgian GP, leading Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in FP3 at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Mercedes driver set a fastest time of 1:45.990, leaving Norris just 0.139 seconds behind and Red Bull rival Verstappen only another 0.009 seconds further back.
Here are the complete Practice 3 results:
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:45.990 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.139 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.148 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.367 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.392 |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.760 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.795 |
| 8 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +0.934 |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1.059 |
| 10 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | +1.106 |
| 11 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +1.186 |
| 12 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +1.700 |
| 13 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.914 |
| 14 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.930 |
| 15 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.959 |
| 16 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +2.000 |
| 17 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +2.654 |
| 18 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +2.702 |
| 19 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +2.740 |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +3.000 |
| 21 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +4.165 |
| 22 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +4.641 |
REMEMBER: There are grid penalties this weekend
McLaren’s Lando Norris will take a 10-place grid-drop penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix for new power unit components, meaning he will start 11th if he secures pole shortly.
Whilst Isack Hadjar will start from the back of the grid no matter what happens, earning a stricter 30-place penalty from the FIA for a more excessive breach of component regulations.
Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin will also head to the back of the grid and so will his teammate, Lance Stroll. The team will hoping to see the back of the weekend.
Can Max Verstappen take pole position?
The FIA attracted controversy earlier in the ongoing Formula 1 season when they declared Red Bull to have designed the best internal engine on the grid.
Red Bull, thus, did not qualify for the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities scheme, despite Mercedes having the best power unit overall.
But at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the FIA have somewhat been vindicated with Max Verstappen looking very competitive compared to everyone but Kimi Antonelli.
The Dutchman topped Free Practice 1, finished third in FP2 and third again in FP3.
Can he now secure pole position?
Lewis Hamilton will compete in Qualifying
The big news is that Lewis Hamilton will compete in qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix as his Ferrari mechanics manage to repair his car in time after his crash.
The 41-year-old lost control at the exit of the Fagnes Chicane, bottomed out on a kerb and ran into the wall to destroy the rear-right suspension of his SF-26.
Erring on the side of precaution, Ferrari have decided to change the suspension, floor and gearbox of his car. There will be no penalty incurred as a result.
Welcome to the Blog!
Qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix is almost upon us, and it is a session full of intrigue at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on this Saturday afternoon.
Kimi Antonelli clearly looks like the man to beat for Mercedes, the Italian delivering impressive times throughout the weekend in the Ardennes Forest.
He has topped Free Practice 2 and FP3, and now looks to secure a second successful pole position in the 2026 Formula 1 season to tee himself up for a first win since the Monaco GP.
Can he do it? Find out here with Total-Motorsport.com.
Antonelli sets the pace before Belgian GP Qualifying
Antonelli has established himself as the early favourite for pole after leading the final two practice sessions at Spa. The Italian moved to the top in FP2 with a 1:45.944, then produced another strong performance on Saturday to remain ahead of the chasing pack.
The Mercedes driver has looked particularly confident through Spa’s high-speed middle sector, where stability through Pouhon, Fagnes and Stavelot can make a significant difference. The team also appears to have found a competitive compromise between straight-line speed and downforce around the 7.004km circuit.
Russell made progress after finishing eighth in both Friday sessions. Fourth place in FP3 brought him much closer to his teammate and confirmed that Mercedes could have two cars involved in the battle for the front rows.
The gap between the leading drivers remains small, however. A mistake through Eau Rouge, Raidillon or the technical middle sector could quickly change the order, while Spa’s long lap gives drivers only a limited number of opportunities to produce a clean run.
Norris and McLaren challenge for pole at Spa
Norris emerged as Antonelli’s closest challenger in both FP2 and FP3, putting McLaren firmly in contention for pole position.
The British driver finished 0.190 seconds behind Antonelli on Friday before reducing the gap to 0.139 seconds in final practice. That consistency suggests McLaren have a car capable of challenging Mercedes over one lap, particularly if Norris can maximise the Soft tyre through all three sectors.
His qualifying position remains important despite a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding the permitted power-unit component allocation. Starting as high as possible will limit the damage and improve his chances of recovering positions during the Grand Prix.
Oscar Piastri has endured a less straightforward weekend after losing running to a hydraulic issue in FP2. The Australian returned to the top 10 in final practice, but he will need to find more pace if he is to join Norris in the fight at the front.
Verstappen remains a major threat
Verstappen began the Belgian GP weekend by topping FP1 with a 1:47.070 and has remained close to the leaders throughout practice. Third place in FP2 and FP3 leaves him within range of Antonelli and Norris before the battle for pole begins.
Spa has traditionally suited Verstappen, with its long straights, fast corners and major elevation changes rewarding confidence and aerodynamic efficiency. Red Bull Racing have appeared more competitive than at Silverstone, although the team still needs to find a small improvement to challenge Mercedes at the top.
Isack Hadjar has also shown encouraging speed, finishing fourth in FP1 and fifth in FP2 before completing the top 10 in final practice. His extensive power-unit penalties mean he is expected to start near the back regardless of where he qualifies, but
