Lewis Hamilton admitted Ferrari’s deficit was larger than expected after finishing fourth in Belgian Grand Prix FP2, 0.747 seconds behind Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Although the seven-time world champion described Friday as generally positive, the SF-26 struggled through Spa-Francorchamps’ middle sector as Ferrari’s main rivals increased their pace.
Charles Leclerc finished 11th, 1.524 seconds away from Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s benchmark, reinforcing Ferrari’s pre-weekend concerns that Spa might expose some of the current SF-26’s weaknesses. However, Friday practice does not always provide a reliable picture of the competitive order, and the Maranello team will work overnight in an attempt to reverse the trend before qualifying.
Lewis Hamilton surprised by Ferrari’s Spa FP2 deficit
Ferrari had begun the weekend encouragingly, with Lewis Hamilton second and Charles Leclerc third behind Max Verstappen during FP1. The situation changed in the afternoon when Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren all demonstrated stronger pace.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli made a particularly significant step after Mercedes adjusted the setup of his W17. The World Championship leader topped the Belgian GP FP2 classification, while Lewis Hamilton was unable to repeat Ferrari’s morning performance.
“It was a pretty good day and positive overall,” Lewis Hamilton told Sky Sports UK. “We made some progress and the sessions were relatively smooth. We made a couple of changes during FP2. The gap looks a little bigger than expected, especially in FP2, but hopefully we can close it tomorrow.”
Ferrari’s Friday programme also highlighted concerns surrounding the SF-26’s hybrid energy deployment at Spa. The circuit’s long straights make efficient power delivery especially important under the 2026 regulations.
Ferrari struggles unexpectedly in Spa’s middle sector
Lewis Hamilton identified the second sector as the main area Ferrari needs to investigate. That section of the lap was expected to suit the SF-26 because it places greater emphasis on cornering performance than outright straight-line speed, but the car did not deliver the anticipated advantage.
“The others look really strong,” Lewis Hamilton said. “Red Bull looks very strong, Mercedes has gained a lot in terms of pace and McLaren also looked fine. So I really do not know.”
“The car seems reasonably good, but for some reason we are struggling a little in the middle sector. We are just trying to understand why, and we will see if we can recover tomorrow.”
The difficulty suggests Ferrari must work on more than power-unit performance alone. Setup, aerodynamic balance and stability can all influence how effectively a car carries speed through corners and manages electrical energy across the lap. Spa’s unusual demands were already expected to provide an important test of the 2026 Formula 1 energy-management systems.
Lewis Hamilton explains how Spa feels different in 2026
Lewis Hamilton also offered an insight into how the new 2026 Formula 1 cars have changed the driving experience at Spa-Francorchamps. The circuit remains one of his favourites, but he believes the current power-unit characteristics have made it slightly less demanding for drivers.
“The track is fantastic and I love driving at this circuit,” Lewis Hamilton said. “But it is a little different compared with previous years because the engine loses power on the straights. In terms of the chassis and the corners, though, it is fine.”
His description reflects the importance of electrical energy deployment with the new power units. Performance can tail off along Spa’s extended full-throttle sections when the available electrical assistance is reduced, changing how the circuit feels compared with previous seasons.
Ferrari must now determine why the SF-26 struggled through the middle sector while also refining its energy-management strategy for the straights. The team’s Spa-specific aerodynamic configuration will form another important part of that overnight analysis.
Lewis Hamilton remains hopeful that Ferrari can recover, but Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren all appeared competitive on Friday. Qualifying will reveal whether the Maranello team can close a gap that was noticeably larger than expected.
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