Antonelli leads Norris in second practice as Gasly crashes – RaceFans

Juli 18, 2026

in Racing

Reading Time: 2 mins read

Andrea Kimi Antonelli took up a well-recognized place on the high of the timing display on the finish of the second apply session for the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver produced a lap of 1’45.944 to go the instances. Nonetheless crew mate George Russell, who accomplished his qualifying simulation run later within the session, wasn’t in a position to get inside a second of his crew mate, saying he hadn’t received his tyre preparation proper.

Six drivers separated the Mercedes pair, together with Lando Norris, who received inside two tenths of a second of Antonelli in his identically-powered McLaren.

First apply pace-setter Max Verstappen fell to 3rd, nearly half a second off the tempo. Lewis Hamilton ensured 4 totally different vehicles crammed the highest 4 locations, although the Ferrari driver was nearly three-quarters of a second slower than Antonelli.

Russell’s time was even crushed by Franco Colapinto, who put his Alpine in a robust seventh behind Isack Hadjar and Oscar Piastri. Nonetheless his crew mate Pierre Gasly had a harder session.

First Gasly’s greatest time was deleted as he strayed past the observe limits whereas cresting the rise at Raidillon. That left him solely 18th within the standings.

Then, on his longer run late within the session, Gasly ran vast on the exit of Fagnes and touched the gravel. His automobile drifted additional vast, clipping the barrier on the appropriate, eradicating his rear wing and deranging his suspension.

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The session was red-flagged whereas Gasly’s automobile was recovered. After an in depth clean-up operation there was simply two minutes of the session left, although lots of the driver rejoined to be able to carry out a apply begin on Spa’s uncommon, sloping and high-grip grid.

The Racing Bulls drivers accomplished the highest 10 behind Russell, whereas Charles Leclerc was solely eleventh. Fernando Alonso returned to the cockpit of his automobile, which Jak Crawford drove within the first session, and though Aston Martin received nearer to their rivals’ tempo they remained one-and-a-half seconds slower than Cadillac.