Published 18 Jul 2026, 05:03 UTC
Week 28, 2026
Spa’s disrupted Friday offered speed without clean clarity. Verstappen led FP1, Antonelli topped FP2, and the long-run clues were encouraging, but red flags and interrupted programmes left the real order unresolved.
Isack Hadjar and Lance Stroll are set for grid penalties at Spa, adding another layer of uncertainty to the Belgian Grand Prix weekend and potentially reshaping midfield strategy, traffic and overtaking.
Antonelli topped Friday practice at Spa and looked strong in race simulations, but his clash with Carlos Sainz added a sharper edge to a weekend already defined by pressure and scrutiny.
Spa has become a mid-season upgrade laboratory. With 21 new parts declared and Racing Bulls making an unusual spec split, the Belgian GP is as much about development direction as immediate lap time.
Red Bull expects mechanical fixes to be in place in time for its Macarena rear wing to return at the Hungarian Grand Prix, after the concept was parked while the team addressed a hardware issue.
F1’s 2027 reset is not only about engines. Under-the-radar aero and car-concept changes are part of the next technical shift, alongside the new power-unit rules.
Haas has become Formula 1’s budget-cap outlier, and the impact is already visible in 2026. Financial constraints are shaping what the team can do and how quickly it can respond.
