Overview
- Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in the lone practice at Spa‐Francorchamps with a 1:42.022 lap, 0.404 seconds clear of Max Verstappen.
- Piastri then dominated sprint qualifying with a 1:40.510 effort that left Verstappen nearly half a second adrift.
- Lando Norris managed third in the sprint shootout, remaining eight points behind Piastri in the drivers’ standings.
- Spa hosts the season’s third sprint weekend, with championship points on offer in Saturday’s 100-kilometer race.
- Lewis Hamilton’s struggles continued as he qualified only 18th for the sprint, underscoring McLaren’s tightening grip on the field.