Pierre Gasly’s Belgian Grand Prix FP2 ended around 15 minutes early after the Alpine driver suffered a heavy crash in the closing stages of the session at Spa-Francorchamps. Pierre Gasly was fortunately unharmed, but the rear end of the A526 was heavily damaged in the impact.
Pierre Gasly crashes near Stavelot in Belgian GP FP2
The incident occurred as most drivers were concentrating on race-pace simulations. Pierre Gasly lost control of the car at Turn 13, shortly before Stavelot, apparently following a driving error, although Alpine will investigate the exact dynamics of the crash.
The French driver ran onto the gravel and was unable to avoid the barriers, which are particularly close to the circuit at that point. The impact destroyed the rear of the Alpine, damaged the barriers and scattered debris across the track. Alpine had already approached the Spa weekend cautiously, with Fernando Alonso expecting a difficult Belgian Grand Prix for the team.
Gasly ran off on the approach to Stavelot, clipped the barriers which pulled off his rear wing and sent him spinning 😵💫#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/5x9udZSxtP
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 17, 2026
Late red flag limits final Spa running
Despite the marshals’ efforts to clear the circuit, the red flag caused by Pierre Gasly’s crash lasted for a considerable period. The remaining drivers had only a couple of minutes available to conclude FP2 once the session resumed.
The interruption could have consequences for the teams ahead of Saturday’s crucial track action, when pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix will be decided. Spa’s changing conditions and limited running have already made preparation challenging, with a rain threat adding further uncertainty to the Spa weekend.
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