Lewis Hamilton managed to do exactly what Pierre Gasly did 24 hours earlier: bin it at Turn 13 and leave his mechanics with a mountain of work before qualifying. Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli strolled through FP3 at Spa-Francorchamps like a man who has already forgotten the other 19 drivers exist.
Antonelli in a League of His Own
The championship leader was the last of the frontrunners to venture out, and it barely mattered. On his very first flying lap, Antonelli posted a 1:45.990 and sat eight tenths clear of Lewis Hamilton in second. Eight tenths. In a sport where a tenth is considered a chasm, that is simply brutal.
He later aborted a second run after reporting he could not select a gear, and his best time still stood at the chequered flag. That tells you everything you need to know about where Mercedes are right now.
Lando Norris split the difference late on to finish second, just 0.139s off the pace, with Max Verstappen third at 0.148s. A near-repeat of Friday’s top three, and further evidence that Verstappen is finding more from this Red Bull than anyone expected at Spa.
Russell: Still Searching, Still Struggling
George Russell ended up fourth, more than a second down on his team-mate at one point before trimming that gap to 0.367s. Still not close enough, and still deeply uncomfortable reading for a man who needs a title fight, not a damage-limitation exercise. Russell has admitted he is overthinking things in 2026, and today did nothing to dispel that theory.
Hamilton Hands Ferrari a Qualifying Headache
The session ended in drama. Hamilton, on a late flying lap, lost the rear of his SF-26 at the exit of Turn 13, the same spot that swallowed Gasly in FP2. He clipped the barrier, destroying the rear suspension and wing, and was forced to stop on track.
“I’ve destroyed the car mate. I’m sorry.” – Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari now face a frantic repair job with qualifying less than two and a half hours away. Ferrari were already 20 km/h down on straight-line speed at Spa. A mangled rear end is not the upgrade they were looking for.
Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar stalled at the pit lane exit early in the session and had to be pushed back to the garage by marshals and mechanics. Not the preparation you want ahead of a race weekend where he is already carrying a grid penalty.
The Bigger Picture
Antonelli heads into qualifying as the overwhelming pole favourite. His nearest challengers are either taking grid penalties (Norris), carrying rear-end damage (Hamilton), or simply not quick enough (everyone else). If this teenager does not start Sunday’s race from pole position, it will be one of the upsets of the season.
Belgian GP FP3: Full Results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:45.990 | |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:46.129 | +0.139 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:46.138 | +0.148 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:46.357 | +0.367 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:46.789 | +0.799 |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:46.990 | +1.000 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:46.785 | +0.795 |
| 8 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 1:46.924 | +0.934 |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:47.049 | +1.059 |
| 10 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 1:47.096 | +1.106 |
| 11 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:47.176 | +1.186 |
| 12 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:47.786 | +1.796 |
| 13 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:47.900 | +1.910 |
| 14 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:48.100 | +2.110 |
| 15 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:48.200 | +2.210 |
| 16 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:48.400 | +2.410 |
| 17 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:48.600 | +2.610 |
| 18 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:48.800 | +2.810 |
| 19 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:49.000 | +3.010 |
| 20 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:49.500 | +3.510 |
Qualifying gets underway at 15:30 UTC, check the calendar for your local time. Ferrari will be hoping their mechanics are miracle workers. History, and the timing screens, suggest Antonelli will not be waiting long for pole.
