Antonelli: We Made Significant Changes to the Car for Second Practice

Pulse Sports Team 19:10 - 17 July 2026

Formula 1 championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli topped the second free practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

The Italian had finished a modest sixth in the first practice, while his Mercedes teammate George Russell was eighth. However, both drivers showed significant improvement in the second session.

“We made a lot of changes to the car for the second practice, as we had significant issues in the first session,” Antonelli confirmed. “The changes proved to be in the right direction, but we still have a lot of work ahead because Red Bull and McLaren are very quick. However, I have a feeling we are very strong on long runs as well, which is also positive.”

Mercedes Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin explained that the team had anticipated much more grip in the first practice, which didn't materialize. However, for the second session, the drivers were much more satisfied with the performance of their cars.