f1technical.net

By Balazs Szabo on 19 Jul 2026, 01:00 Lewis Hamilton thanked Ferrari's mechanics after they rebuilt his SF-26 following his heavy crash in final practice, admitting the car never felt quite the same in qualifying despite securing sixth place on the grid for the Belgian Grand Prix. Hamilton's preparations for qualifying suffered a major setback when he lost the rear of his Ferrari through Turn 13 during FP3.

By Balazs Szabo on 19 Jul 2026, 00:00 Lando Norris believes McLaren is moving in the right direction after qualifying third for the Belgian Grand Prix, although a 10-place grid penalty will drop the reigning Formula 1 world champion to 13th on Sunday's starting grid. Norris was one of the standout performers throughout the Spa-Francorchamps weekend, topping Q1 and remaining firmly in the fight for the fastest qualifying time.

By Balazs Szabo on 19 Jul 2026, 00:00 Oscar Piastri admitted McLaren endured a difficult qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix after the Australian could manage only seventh fastest, saying the team struggled throughout the day to find the right balance with the car. While team-mate Lando Norris challenged near the front of the field, Piastri was unable to match the pace shown by the reigning world champion.

By Balazs Szabo on 19 Jul 2026, 00:00 McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella revealed the team is still investigating inconsistent electrical energy deployment from the latest Mercedes power unit after a positive qualifying performance for the Belgian Grand Prix. Lando Norris qualified third at Spa-Francorchamps before his 10-place grid penalty dropped him to 13th on the starting grid, while Oscar Piastri secured seventh after a difficult weekend in which he struggled to find the optimum balance.

By Balazs Szabo on 19 Jul 2026, 00:00 Formula 1 returns to one of its most iconic venues this weekend as Spa-Francorchamps hosts the Belgian Grand Prix, a race steeped in history and synonymous with some of the sport's greatest moments. This year's event marks the 71st running of the Belgian Grand Prix, further cementing its place among Formula 1's most prestigious races. While Spa-Francorchamps has become almost inseparable from the event, the Grand Prix has not always been held in the Ardennes.

By Balazs Szabo on 19 Jul 2026, 00:00 Charles Leclerc believes a podium remains possible at the Belgian Grand Prix despite admitting Spa-Francorchamps exposes Ferrari's weaknesses, leaving the Scuderia facing an uphill battle against its rivals. Leclerc qualified fifth for Sunday's race after producing a strong first lap in Q3, but his final attempt was compromised when he encountered yellow flags for Isack Hadjar's pit lane incident.

By Balazs Szabo on 19 Jul 2026, 00:00 Max Verstappen admitted he would likely have qualified only sixth for the Belgian Grand Prix without the assistance of team-mate Isack Hadjar, after Red Bull executed a perfectly planned slipstream strategy in qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps. With Hadjar already carrying a back-of-the-grid penalty, Red Bull used the Frenchman to provide Verstappen with a tow during Q3.

By Balazs Szabo on 19 Jul 2026, 00:00 Mercedes says it is urgently investigating the unexplained straight-line performance deficit that continues to hamper George Russell after Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed his sixth pole position of the Formula 1 season at the Belgian Grand Prix. Antonelli continued his superb Spa-Francorchamps form by converting his pace from Friday and Saturday practice into another pole position, beating Max Verstappen by three tenths of a second.

By Balazs Szabo on 18 Jul 2026, 23:47 George Russell admitted he remains puzzled by the straight-line performance deficit affecting his Mercedes after qualifying fourth for the Belgian Grand Prix, more than half a second behind team-mate and polesitter Andrea Kimi Antonelli. While Antonelli secured his sixth pole position of the season with a commanding final Q3 lap, Russell could only manage fourth fastest, 0.530s adrift of the championship leader.

By Balazs Szabo on 18 Jul 2026, 23:46 Mercedes championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured the sixth pole position of his Formula 1 career after producing another commanding qualifying performance for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Antonelli overcame a difficult start to the session before delivering a stunning final lap in Q3 to beat Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, extending Mercedes' impressive qualifying form during the 2026 season.