Ferrari faces repair race as Mercedes' Antonelli dominates Spa practice

Lewis Hamilton crashed his Ferrari during the closing moments of final practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, leaving his team with a tight deadline to repair the car ahead of afternoon qualifying. The incident occurred at Turn 13, where the Briton went wide across the gravel and struck the barrier with his right rear wheel. "I've destroyed the car mate. I'm sorry," Hamilton told his race engineer over the radio before climbing out to inspect the damage.

The crash disrupts Ferrari's momentum at a circuit where Hamilton had shown a clear pace advantage over his teammate Charles Leclerc, finishing fifth and nearly four-tenths of a second faster. For Europe's automotive giants, Formula 1 serves as a high-profile testing ground for engineering talent and brand prestige. Ferrari's immediate setback contrasts sharply with the current form of its German rival, Mercedes.

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time for the second consecutive session, underlining the manufacturer's technical superiority at Spa-Francorchamps. Despite his championship lead being cut to 25 points in recent races, Antonelli was a full seven-tenths of a second faster than the field on his initial run. He ultimately finished 0.1s clear of Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, while teammate George Russell secured fourth, locking out strong grid positions for the German marque.

Audi, the German manufacturer continuing its deepening investment in the sport, showed promising pace with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto finishing eighth and ninth respectively. Their progress comes as other European teams face grid penalties or mechanical issues. McLaren’s challenge is complicated by Norris carrying a 10-place grid penalty for engine changes, leaving Oscar Piastri to lead the British squad after finishing almost 0.8s off the pace in seventh.

The session also highlighted the struggles of the Red Bull group, with Isack Hadjar stopping on the pit lane due to an issue before finishing 10th. The Frenchman will start Sunday's race from the back of the grid due to multiple power-unit changes. Hamilton's crash, which mirrored an identical incident involving Renault-owned Alpine and Pierre Gasly at the same corner on Friday, adds to a chaotic build-up. Ferrari mechanics must now urgently rebuild the damaged SF-26 before qualifying begins at 3pm.