Max Verstappen topped the opening practice session at the Belgian Grand Prix, setting a 1m47.070s at Spa-Francorchamps to lead Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari by 0.145s. The Red Bull driver demonstrated strong early pace on soft tyres, holding off a late challenge from the Ferraris.

Charles Leclerc slotted into third, 0.207s off the pace, while team-mate Isack Hadjar briefly led the session before Verstappen's final run. Oscar Piastri was fifth for McLaren, 0.452s behind, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli sixth for Mercedes.

The session saw Aston Martin struggle significantly, with Lance Stroll 5.7s adrift in 21st and rookie Jak Crawford propping up the timesheets. Verstappen's benchmark remains five seconds slower than Piastri's 2025 practice record with the new-generation cars.