The Belgian Grand Prix is the tenth round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, and Ferrari will soon discover whether Spa-Francorchamps is as punishing for the SF-26 as initially feared. The Belgian circuit is certainly not an obvious ally given the Italian team’s well-known power-unit deficit, although Ferrari’s performance at Silverstone offers encouragement. That makes the strategy behind the team’s different hybrid configurations one of the most important aspects to analyse during the weekend.
Ferrari made a promising start in Belgian GP FP1, with the SF-26 appearing stable, predictable and firmly planted through Spa’s demanding corners. However, the significant superclipping observed along the circuit’s extended full-throttle sections underlined why hybrid energy management could ultimately determine how competitive Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc can be.
Ferrari tests the SF-26 as severe superclipping emerges at Spa
Lewis Hamilton was the first Ferrari driver to take to the Belgian circuit, followed shortly afterwards by Charles Leclerc. Both began the session on a set of Medium tyres, allowing the team to conduct a consistent evaluation of the car’s baseline setup. Ferrari immediately worked on bringing the brakes up to temperature, bearing in mind that they can cool rapidly along Spa’s lengthy straights. The same challenge applies to the tyres.
As expected, superclipping became apparent almost immediately. It is important to note that Ferrari was initially using very conservative engine modes, so no reliable conclusions could be drawn at that stage. Even so, the power unit’s revs dropped considerably on every straight as the available electrical energy ran out before the end of the full-throttle sections. The early laps were also completed at a restrained pace, making it too soon to assess the SF-26’s handling accurately.
The steering response initially appeared excellent, although the true picture could only emerge once Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc began pushing. In the meantime, the drivers received several instructions relating to two familiar areas: rotation and braking. These involved adjustments to the brake balance and the pre-mapped rotary controls behind the steering wheel, helping the drivers adapt the car to the different characteristics of Spa’s corners.
During the tyre-cooling laps, both Ferrari drivers could be seen weaving to preserve temperature across the front axle. Watching and listening to the power unit struggle with superclipping was a dispiriting sight at such a legendary venue, with the Spa circuit weaving through the forests of the Ardennes. Ferrari also identified potential improvements at Turns 8, 9 and 14, estimating that one tenth of a second could be recovered at each corner.
The phenomenon was particularly relevant after the FIA tightened the energy recovery rules for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, placing even greater emphasis on how effectively teams manage MGU-K harvesting and deployment around the seven-kilometre circuit.
Ferrari experiments with different hybrid configurations
Lewis Hamilton appeared to find slightly more confidence in the SF-26 than Charles Leclerc during the opening phase, and the lap times supported that impression. The only area where Lewis Hamilton was slower was the final corner, where a better brake release was required to gain time. The British driver acknowledged the issue, as well as the need to improve at Turn 8, where his mid-corner speed was not yet at the desired level.
Ferrari continued its programme by making several mapping changes related to the hybrid system. The objective was to understand how best to manage energy harvesting and deployment by experimenting with different settings. Charles Leclerc improved and moved three tenths ahead of Lewis Hamilton, although the engine appeared to be operating at a noticeably higher power level. Confirmation soon arrived over the radio on car number 44’s channel.
Lewis Hamilton then increased the hybrid power setting by a couple of steps and reclaimed the position from Charles Leclerc. After another two laps, both Ferrari cars returned to the garage, giving the engineers time to study the data and determine whether any minor setup changes were necessary. At that stage, the SF-26’s baseline configuration could be described as positive, although further evidence was still required.
Ferrari’s hybrid experiments formed part of a broader technical programme at Spa, where the team also evaluated its latest solutions alongside the new Formula 1 upgrades introduced in the Belgian Grand Prix pit lane.
Ferrari SF-26 looks stable but the hybrid system remains a burden
On the yellow-walled Pirelli Medium tyres, the SF-26 required virtually no steering corrections. Traction was transferred to the track effectively, while the aerodynamic platform remained stable through the middle sector. In short, the Ferrari looked predictable and gave both drivers a solid level of confidence.
The team then switched to the Soft tyres. Their higher grip level allowed Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to push harder, potentially exposing weaknesses that had remained hidden during the opening Medium-tyre runs.
Little changed for Lewis Hamilton: the SF-26 continued to look extremely well balanced, and his driving remained very clean. However, an error at Turn 1 cost him a considerable amount of time. In that sector alone, Lewis Hamilton lost two and a half tenths to Charles Leclerc. Work was also still required at the final corner. Leaving aside the differences caused by the power-unit settings, Ferrari appeared to possess excellent underlying potential.
Charles Leclerc was similarly tidy during his first attempt and immediately found more confidence than Lewis Hamilton through the Turns 18-19 chicane. After a tyre-cooling lap, the drivers began another push lap. Lewis Hamilton finally put Ferrari’s earlier instructions into practice and finished ahead of Charles Leclerc, despite the Monegasque setting the best two intermediate times in the second and third sectors.
Up to that point, the principal difference between Ferrari and Max Verstappen, who was the fastest driver, appeared to come from the power unit. The SF-26 was effective through the corners, but its loss of electrical assistance along the straights remained clearly visible.
Ferrari shows encouraging Belgian GP race pace
The final run began with 13 minutes remaining in FP1. Charles Leclerc used Medium tyres, while Lewis Hamilton ran on Softs as Ferrari divided its programme for the first race-pace simulations. Carlo Santi revealed the intended lap-time range over the radio: “High 51s, low 52s.”
The initial target was achieved, allowing Ferrari to monitor how the runs developed. Lewis Hamilton was particularly consistent, completing four laps at an average of approximately 1:51.6. Charles Leclerc was slower and also ran off the circuit after pushing too hard.
Even with a significant amount of fuel on board, the SF-26’s handling remained very good. Ferrari’s 2026 car once again demonstrated its effectiveness in high-downforce conditions, with a stable aerodynamic platform helping the drivers through Spa’s technical middle sector. The car’s encouraging behaviour also provided an early indication of how the latest Ferrari SF-26 developments were responding to the unique demands of the Belgian circuit.
On average, Ferrari’s race pace was better than that of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, while McLaren was faster over the first two laps. However, the respective fuel loads remained unknown, and differences in fuel weight have a particularly significant effect on lap time at Spa-Francorchamps. Direct comparisons must therefore be treated cautiously.
Hybrid performance remains Ferrari’s biggest Belgian GP question
Ferrari completed Belgian GP FP1 with very positive impressions of its baseline setup, even though further handling refinements were required to extract the maximum performance from the SF-26. The car looked planted through the corners, delivered its traction cleanly and remained predictable on both the Medium and Soft compounds.
Much of Ferrari’s weekend will nevertheless depend on the hybrid system. The team is trying to maximise harvesting and deployment to the fullest possible extent, limiting the impact of its power-unit deficit and reducing the time lost through superclipping. The issue is especially important at Spa because the circuit’s long full-throttle sections can leave a car exposed once its usable electrical energy has been depleted.
Ferrari’s early work also reflected the expectations outlined by Charles Leclerc before the weekend, when he discussed the team’s prospects and the challenges posed by Spa-Francorchamps in the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix. The next free practice session should provide a clearer picture of whether Ferrari can manage its hybrid limitations well enough to challenge at the front.
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