Overview
- Kimi Antonelli set the weekend benchmark in final practice at Spa with a 1:45.990 and goes into qualifying as the clear favourite for pole.
- Lewis Hamilton crashed at the Les Fagnes/Turn 13 chicane in the closing moments of FP3, badly damaging the SF‑26’s right‑rear suspension and wing and leaving Ferrari only hours to make repairs before qualifying.
- Ferrari were fined a total of €10,000 by the FIA after officials found the team had electronically logged tyre returns but failed to physically hand back the correct tyres to Pirelli following Friday’s session.
- Several drivers will start down the order regardless of qualifying pace because of component penalties, with Lando Norris and Lance Stroll each facing 10‑place drops, Isack Hadjar set to start at the back and Fernando Alonso exceeding his power‑unit allocation.
- Spa’s long, high‑speed layout amplifies the stakes because track position and intact equipment matter more than usual, and Antonelli’s practice pace combined with any failure to repair Hamilton’s car could have immediate championship implications.