Lewis Hamilton expressed hope that Ferrari can close the gap to their rivals at the Belgian Grand Prix, despite admitting the deficit in Friday practice was "bigger than anticipated". While he was close to the pace in the first session, finishing just over a tenth behind Max Verstappen, he was seven tenths slower than Kimi Antonelli in the second session. Antonelli leads the standings by 25 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, with Hamilton seven points further back in third.

Hamilton, who has secured four podiums in his last five races, found solace in finishing ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc in both sessions. He noted that while the car felt "pretty decent," they were "lacking a little bit in the middle sector." He added that "the others look really strong," specifically mentioning Red Bull and McLaren.

Verstappen finished third in the second session, and while satisfied with Red Bull's day, suggested they are close to maximizing their package. Lando Norris, who was second fastest in practice, faces a 10-grid penalty but believes McLaren can be closer than at Silverstone, though he anticipates Red Bull will be quicker in qualifying.