Antonelli tops final Spa practice with fastest time – Hamilton crashes Ferrari

Right behind him came Max Verstappen, who in the Red Bull was 0.148 seconds adrift of Antonelli. The Dutchman, sitting seventh in the overall standings already 103 points behind the leader, was able to close in more in the final practice than in the previous sessions but remained well off the Mercedes benchmark.

Norris and Verstappen close behind

World champion Lando Norris ended up 0.139 seconds off the fastest time in the McLaren. The Briton thus posted the second-fastest lap of the session and kept Verstappen at bay. The small gap of less than two tenths between the top three points to a tight three-way battle in the upcoming qualifying.

George Russell (+0.367) in the second Mercedes completed a strong picture for the works team from Brackley. The Briton was 0.367 seconds slower than his teammate and thus took fourth place in the session. With both Silver Arrows at the top, Mercedes looked in excellent shape at Spa.

Hülkenberg in the midfield

German driver Nico Hülkenberg steered his Audi to seventh place shortly before qualifying in the afternoon (4:00 p.m./Sky and RTL). The experienced driver from Emmerich thus placed himself in the midfield of the field and gathered further important data for the setup of his car ahead of the decisive timed session.

Hamilton's crash in the closing seconds

Lewis Hamilton provided the headlines beyond the fastest times. The record world champion lost control of his Ferrari and went off track. With time expiring, Hamilton slid off the circuit in his Ferrari and slammed his right rear tire into the barriers. TV images showed that the rear axle had broken.

Much like Alpine driver Pierre Gasly on Friday, Hamilton destroyed the rear of his car. The accident happened in the final seconds of the session, when drivers usually simulate their fast laps for qualifying preparation. TV footage showed the rear of the Ferrari lying on the asphalt with significant damage.

Hamilton immediately checked in over the radio with his garage. „I'm okay, sorry“, the Briton radioed to his crew. In a further message he added: „Ich habe das Auto zerstört, tut mir leid.“ Hamilton was uninjured in the accident, but the damage to the car presents his team with a logistical challenge.

Time pressure ahead of qualifying

The mechanics must get the Briton's Ferrari ready to race again under time pressure before qualifying (4:00 p.m.). With the rear of the car damaged and the rear axle broken, the Scuderia has only a narrow window to prepare the car for the timed session in the afternoon.

Qualifying will be broadcast in Germany on Sky and RTL. From 4:00 p.m. local time, the drivers will battle for the grid for the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday. Ahead of the tenth round of the season on Sunday, Antonelli leads the standings by 25 points over his Silver Arrows teammate George Russell. A further seven points behind follows Hamilton in the Ferrari.

Outlook for Sunday's race

Verstappen, in seventh, already trails Antonelli by 103 points. The Dutchman's gap to the leader illustrates the shifted balance of power this season. Antonelli, who only moved into Mercedes' regular cockpit this season, has established himself as a consistent front-runner.

The tight gaps at the top promise an exciting qualifying. With Antonelli, Norris and Verstappen within 0.148 seconds, three drivers from three different teams are closely matched. Should Mercedes manage to transfer this pace into the timed session, the team from Brackley would be in a comfortable position for Sunday's race.

For Hamilton, who already trails his former teammate Russell by 32 points, the crash comes at the worst possible time. The Briton switched from Mercedes to Ferrari at the start of this season and is currently fighting to establish himself in his new team. Another setback through technical damage could make his fight back even harder.

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is regarded as one of the most historic and demanding on the Formula 1 calendar. The mix of long straights, fast corners and changing weather conditions poses particular challenges for drivers and machines. Antonelli's fastest time underlines his maturity in such demanding conditions.

Overall, the final practice session offered a mix of sporting benchmark and mechanical drama. While Antonelli underlined his championship lead with an impressive lap, Hamilton faces the question of whether his team can repair the Ferrari in time for qualifying. The answer will come in the next few hours.