Max Verstappen ended Friday at the Belgian Grand Prix with reason for optimism after one of Red Bull’s stronger practice days of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Dutch driver set the pace in FP1 and remained competitive in FP2, finishing third behind Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris at Spa-Francorchamps.
Kimi Antonelli set the quickest time in the second practice session with a 1:45.994, 0.190 seconds ahead of Lando Norris in the McLaren. Max Verstappen was 0.472 seconds from the top spot in third place, but the overall picture was encouraging for Red Bull after a difficult season in which competitive Fridays have not always translated into a consistent weekend.
Max Verstappen pleased with Red Bull’s Spa balance
Max Verstappen led the way in the first practice session and continued to show competitive pace in FP2. Most importantly, the four-time world champion felt the Red Bull was well balanced from the beginning of the day, allowing the team to focus on smaller setup refinements rather than searching for fundamental answers.
“Everything went very well,” Max Verstappen said. “We did not have any major problems and the balance was already good from the start. The car was set up well and we basically limited ourselves to making small adjustments. Some things worked well, others did not, but overall the car behaved well and, with the package we have, it was a good day.”
Red Bull’s work at Spa has attracted particular attention after the recent concerns surrounding its rear-wing concept. The team may be reassessing the solution following recent issues, as explored in our report on whether Red Bull could abandon its Macarena rear wing.
Energy management remains a Spa challenge for Red Bull
Despite the positive start, Max Verstappen identified energy management as one of the key technical challenges around Spa-Francorchamps. The Belgian circuit combines long full-throttle sections with a demanding middle sector, making the deployment and recovery of electrical energy particularly important over a qualifying lap.
“It is a slightly complicated circuit in terms of energy management,” Max Verstappen explained. “We are a little slower on the straights than our competitors, but the setup was quite good.”
That straight-line deficit means Red Bull cannot take its Friday position for granted, even with a car that appears more settled than it has at several recent events. Spa’s layout can punish any weakness in top speed, while the latest FIA restrictions have made energy deployment and MGU-K management even more significant this weekend.
Max Verstappen’s third place in FP2 also came with McLaren and Mercedes close by. Lando Norris finished only 0.190 seconds behind Kimi Antonelli, despite facing a major setback before the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, while Mercedes’ substantial Spa package has also shown immediate potential.
Red Bull focuses on FP3 before Spa qualifying
Max Verstappen maintained a measured approach when discussing Red Bull’s relative position against its rivals. Rather than making predictions based on Friday’s times, the Dutch driver believes the more meaningful competitive picture will emerge during the final practice session.
“We are focused on ourselves,” Max Verstappen said. “I do not know how much we can achieve compared with the others. I think the real differences will only be visible in the third practice session, but that is no surprise and it is in line with expectations. I hope we can close that gap before qualifying.”
The cautious approach is understandable in a weekend that could be important for the championship battle. Red Bull has shown that the car has a promising baseline at Spa, but the remaining work on energy management and straight-line performance could determine whether Max Verstappen can convert a positive Friday into a genuine challenge for pole position and a strong race result.
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