Verstappen Predicts True Spa Pecking Order Will Emerge in FP3 After Solid Friday

Max Verstappen believes the true competitive picture will only fully emerge during Saturday morning's final practice at Spa-Francorchamps, despite an encouraging opening day for Red Bull. The four-time world champion topped FP1 and finished third in FP2 after reverting to the team's original-spec rear wing, ditching the troubled upside-down design that was removed from the car.

Why it matters:

Red Bull entered the Belgian Grand Prix weekend needing a clean Friday to rebuild momentum, and Verstappen's immediate pace suggests the car has real potential. With teammate Isack Hadjar also showing strong speed in fifth, the Milton Keynes squad appears to have found a workable baseline ahead of Saturday's qualifying session.

The details:

• Verstappen reverted to Red Bull's original rear wing specification after the team discovered problems with its innovative upside-down design, yet lost little performance in the process.
• The Dutchman topped FP1 and finished third in FP2, though he triggered a brief red flag by dragging gravel onto the track and again reported "unacceptable" downshift issues.
• Despite his strong showing, Verstappen remained nearly half a second adrift of pacesetter Kimi Antonelli, leaving room for improvement overnight.
• Hadjar backed up Verstappen's pace with fifth place, giving Red Bull a solid platform to evaluate their true competitiveness ahead of qualifying.

What's next:

Verstappen expects the real gaps to reveal themselves in FP3, offering a clearer picture before Saturday afternoon's qualifying session. Red Bull will look to fine-tune the balance and close the deficit to Antonelli's benchmark time, hoping to translate Friday's promise into a genuine front-row challenge.