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Lewis Hamilton cites Mercedes as top team ahead of Belgian GP

Autosport • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 18, 2026, 7:14 AM

Last updated Jul 18, 2026

Lewis Hamilton cites Mercedes as top team ahead of Belgian GP

Summary

Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes remains the team to beat at the Belgian Grand Prix following Friday practice at Spa-Francorchamps. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli recorded the fastest time at 1m45.944s, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Hamilton’s Ferrari lagged by 0.747 seconds, prompting him to analyze the car’s performance, particularly in the middle sector. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur advised caution against drawing conclusions from the practice results, emphasizing that they do not always predict qualifying positions. The event continues with qualifying set for later today.

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By the Numbers

•Kimi Antonelli leads practice with a time of 1m45.944s.
•Hamilton's Ferrari shows struggle, 0.747 seconds behind the fastest time.
•Qualifying is set to take place later today.
•Vasseur cautions against interpreting practice results too early.

Latest Updates

7:14 AMAutosport — Why Hamilton sees Mercedes as ‘still the team to beat’ at Belgian GP
7:11 AMMotorsport.com — Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes ‘still the team to beat’ at Belgian GP alongside McLaren
7:11 AMYahoo Sports — Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes ‘still the team to beat’ at Belgian GP alongside McLaren

What they're saying

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Lewis Hamilton has tipped Mercedes and McLaren to impress at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix, after Ferrari seemingly struggled in Friday practice at Spa-Francorchamps. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli was fastest in 1m45.944s yesterday, leading McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by two tenths and half a second respectively. The lead Ferrari, driven by Hamilton, was 0.747s ...Keep reading
— Autosport

"
Lewis Hamilton has tipped Mercedes and McLaren to impress at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix, after Ferrari seemingly struggled in Friday practice at Spa-Francorchamps. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli was fastest in 1m45.944s yesterday, leading McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by two tenths and half a second respectively. The lead Ferrari, driven by Hamilton, was 0.747s ...Keep reading
— Motorsport.com