Oscar Piastri kicked off the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix weekend by leading first practice at Spa-Francorchamps, clocking a 1m43.027s to edge out McLaren teammate Lando Norris by just 0.215s. Max Verstappen slotted into third for Red Bull, 0.339s back, despite facing a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday after taking a new engine.
The session saw drama early on when RB’s Isack Hadjar lost control at Malmedy, slamming into the barriers and triggering a red flag after 20 minutes. The French rookie, in his debut full season, walked away unharmed, but his car needed major repairs.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc rounded out the top five, with Hamilton 0.577s off Piastri’s pace. Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli followed, while Alpine’s Jack Doohan impressed in eighth on home soil for the team.
Conditions stayed dry but cool, with teams focusing on long-run data amid forecasts of rain later. Piastri’s lap came on soft tyres late in the hour, underlining McLaren’s strong form this year. Verstappen, pushing hard, reported minor handling issues but remained competitive.
Further back, Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon showed solid speed, but Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso struggled with balance, ending 15th. The field reconvenes for FP2 soon, where tyre choices could shift the picture.
