Oscar Piastri led the way in a rain-hit opening practice at the Belgian Grand Prix, clocking the quickest lap as McLaren showed strong form ahead of the weekend.
The Australian edged out team-mate Lando Norris by just 0.215 seconds, with his 1:43.027 proving unbeatable in the drying conditions at Spa-Francorchamps. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc slotted into third, closely followed by new team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who adapted quickly to the Scuderia machinery.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, chasing a fourth straight title, ended up fifth, ahead of Mercedes duo George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso took eighth, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Haas newcomer Esteban Ocon rounding out the top 10.
The session faced disruption early on when Williams driver Logan Sargeant – in his final year before the team switches to new talent – spun into the barriers at Malmedy, triggering a red flag. Light rain persisted, limiting teams to cautious runs on intermediates before a late switch to slicks.
Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda impressed in 11th, just ahead of team-mate Liam Lawson, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll struggled to 13th. Haas debutant Oliver Bearman gained valuable miles in 14th, with Alpine’s Jack Doohan 15th.
Further back, Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas faced handling issues, and the field spread out as grip improved in the closing minutes.
With qualifying looming, McLaren’s one-two hints at a potential challenge to Red Bull’s dominance, especially after recent upgrades. More rain is forecast, which could shake up the order.
