Kimi Antonelli edges Lando Norris as Pierre Gasly red flag disrupts FP2

Kimi Antonelli set the pace in second practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, beating McLaren’s Lando Norris by two-tenths two red flags interrupted the session.

FP2 was red flagged for the first time when Max Verstappen kicked up to gravel on the track at Stavelot, while the second was a rear-end hit for Pierre Gasly at the Fagnes chicane.

Kimi Antonelli tops Belgian Grand Prix FP2

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

After a splash of rain immediately after FP1, the drivers took to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit at the start of second practice on a dry surface.

Oscar Piastri’s McLaren was by no means ready for the session, the MCL40 up on stands as his mechanics worked on the hydraulics. The Australian suffered an issue late in FP1 and limped back to the pits.

Valtteri Bottas led the field out at the start of FP2, taking to the track ahead of George Russell, Sergio Perez and Franco Colapinto. Isack Hadgar reported that he had the “wrong visor on”, with Red Bull race engineer Richard Wood telling him the team would change it after his first run.

Russell went P1 but was almost immediately overhauled by Kimi Antonelli with a 1:46.9. Hadjar was second in the early running ahead of Max Verstappen, while Charles Leclerc posted the fourth fastest time, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton locked up at the final chicane and cut the apex.

Carlos Sainz criticised Sergio Perez as ‘super dangerous’ for not moving off the racing line as he approached the Cadillac into Raidillon.

F1 2026: The season’s winners and losers

The results of the F1 2026 championship

The F1 2026 Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings

Red flag! Verstappen kicked a hefty amount of gravel at Stavelot, and the marshals had to step onto the track to clear it.

“These s**t shifts,” Verstappen complained to Red Bull. “Unbelievable man. Why are they so shit? It’s unacceptable!”

Back on the track after the gravel was cleared, Hamilton improved to sixth place with the two Ferraris lining up behind Arvid Lindblad and Lando Norris. Oscar Piastri was eighth. After the Ferraris swapped to soft tyres, Hamilton moved up to third and Leclerc P5.

McLaren also unleashed a bit of pace as the Woking team swapped to the soft Pirellis. Norris jumped up to second, two-tenths down on Antonelli, with Piastri sixth. Franco Colapinto was also on the move, up to seventh place in the Alpine.

Red flag! Pierre Gasly lost it on the barrier at the end of the Fagnes chicane. He put wheels on the gravel, clipped the end of the barrier and was spun around, wrecking the rear of his Alpine.

“Absolutely lost it out of nowhere,” Gasly told his team. “I must have lost the rear.”

The marshals were quickly into action to clear the debris, including Gasly’s entire rear wing.

The session resumed with two minutes on the clock, just enough for an out-lap and for the drivers to reach the grid to start a practice start.

Antonelli was fastest of all, ahead of Norris and Verstappen.

Belgian Grand Prix: Free Practice 2 Times

1 Kimi Antonelli 1:45.944
2 Lando Norris 1:46.134
3 Max Verstappen 1:46.416
4 Lewis Hamilton 1:46.691
5 Isack Hadjar 1:46.714
6 Oscar Piastri 1:46.926
7 Franco Colapinto 1:47.147
8 George Russell 1:47.229
9 Arvid Lindblad 1:47.294
10 Liam Lawson 1:47.434

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read Next: Lance Stroll to take FIA penalty at Belgian Grand Prix