The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix weekend commenced with high drama at Spa-Francorchamps as the solitary practice session produced a mix of surprises and setbacks. Lewis Hamilton, representing Ferrari, endured a dismal start to his campaign, plagued by lackluster pace and mechanical gremlins. Despite Ferrari’s much-touted upgrades, the seven-time world champion managed only seventh fastest before reporting a concerning power unit issue in the closing stages, casting a shadow over Maranello’s preparations.
In stark contrast, McLaren asserted early dominance with Oscar Piastri spearheading the field. The young Australian unleashed a scintillating 1:42.022 lap on soft compounds, a benchmark that none could eclipse. Lando Norris, however, faltered in execution; a critical misstep during his hot lap relegated him to third, trailing Piastri by more than half a second. Red Bull’s reigning champion, Max Verstappen, interposed himself between the McLaren pair, though his deficit of 0.404 seconds hinted at McLaren’s raw pace advantage heading into qualifying.
Mercedes exhibited commendable consistency, with George Russell clinching fourth and rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli impressing in sixth. Charles Leclerc managed to slot into fifth, marginally ahead of Hamilton, yet the gap to the leaders amplified anxieties over Ferrari’s competitiveness. Aston Martin maintained their upward trajectory, with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso occupying eighth and ninth, while Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar rounded out the top ten, showcasing his burgeoning talent by lapping just over a second off the pace.
Further down the order, Williams endured early turmoil as Carlos Sainz encountered a fuel system malfunction on his out-lap, curtailing valuable track time. Though the Spaniard salvaged his session in the final 30 minutes, he could muster only 11th, closely followed by teammate Alex Albon in 12th. Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg settled for 13th and 14th, ahead of Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson. Haas’ Esteban Ocon languished in 16th, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly could manage no better than 17th. Yuki Tsunoda suffered an abysmal outing for Red Bull, slumping to 18th, while rookies Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman anchored the field in 19th and 20th, both struggling to tame Spa’s technical demands.
The session was punctuated by multiple lockups at La Source, the notorious opening hairpin, sending several drivers wide and underscoring the circuit’s punishing nature. With only a solitary practice before qualifying, teams face immense pressure to extract meaningful data and refine setups within a compressed window. McLaren’s early ascendancy paints them as the outfit to beat, while Ferrari and Red Bull are left grappling with strategic headaches. For Hamilton, whose fortunes have floundered thus far, a swift resurgence is imperative to avert a weekend marred by mediocrity.
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