Lando Norris Falls Short in Belgian GP FP2 as Kimi Antonelli Takes Top Spot

Lando Norris finished second in Formula 1's second practice session at the Belgian Grand Prix, narrowly missing out on top spot to Kimi Antonelli.

What happened?

Lando Norris had a strong showing in the second practice session at the Belgian Grand Prix, but ultimately fell short of securing the fastest time. Kimi Antonelli vaulted to the top of the timesheets, just under two tenths clear of Norris. The session was twice red-flagged, with the first being caused by gravel on the circuit and the second by Pierre Gasly's crash in the final 15 minutes.

Why it matters for Lando Norris

The second practice session is an important indicator of a driver's pace and preparation for the upcoming Grand Prix. Norris's strong showing in the session suggests that he is in good form, but his inability to secure the fastest time may be a concern for his team. The session also saw several other drivers experience issues, including Max Verstappen, who was briefly on top before being overtaken by Antonelli.

What comes next?

The next session will be the final practice session before qualifying, where drivers will have one last chance to fine-tune their cars and prepare for the big race. Norris and his team will be looking to build on their strong showing in the second practice session and secure a good starting position for the Grand Prix.

Norris got close to Antonelli's effort, shading the championship leader by 0.190s with his first effort, but was unable to join him in the 1m45s as McLaren showed its hand with solid pace in the middle sector. Verstappen's effort was ultimately good enough for third ahead of Hamilton, who originally saw his lap deleted - but this appeared to be a mix-up on the race control board and it was ultimately reinstated.

The session also saw several other drivers experience issues, including Max Verstappen, who was briefly on top before being overtaken by Antonelli. Norris's teammate, Oscar Piastri, missed the first 20 minutes as his car was being repaired following a suspected hydraulics issue in FP1. Piastri was the last driver within a second of Antonelli's time, with Franco Colapinto seventh with a solid lap.

Gasly's best lap, pre-crash, was two tenths down on his team-mate - but this was deleted for track limits. George Russell was in a lowly eighth, 1.2s behind his team-mate, as the two Racing Bulls drivers completed the top 10 - Arvid Lindblad, sporting the new roll-hoop update, from Liam Lawson. Silverstone winner Charles Leclerc was only 11th in the timing boards, having had his 1m47.0s - a lap good enough for seventh - chalked off for cutting the corner at Raidillon.

The session was twice red-flagged, with the first being caused by gravel on the circuit and the second by Pierre Gasly's crash in the final 15 minutes. Norris's strong showing in the session suggests that he is in good form, but his inability to secure the fastest time may be a concern for his team.

category: match_report