Antonelli Sets Fastest Time as Gasly Crashes Heavily at Spa
Miami, Florida - Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli made a strong impression during Friday practice (FP2) for the Belgian Grand Prix when he topped the session. However, teammate Pierre Gasly had an accident, losing control on Fagnes chicane and striking the barrier after tearing off part of his right rear wheel.
The heavy crash triggered a red flag in the final stages of the session, cutting short several race-simulation runs. Team principal Steve Nielsen acknowledged it as merely a minor mistake, but one that could be costly elsewhere on the circuit due to its punishing nature.
Antonelli’s Impressive Performance
Absolute dominance was evident in Antonelli's performance, which contrasted significantly from his 6th place finish in the first session. His speed wasn't just a one-off; on long-run laps, he averaged 0.3 seconds quicker than Lando Norris and easily outpaced reigning champion George Russell by over a second on average.
Gasly’s Accident at Fagnes
Although Gasly's collision seems to stem from a momentary snap that took him off the track, it still led to significant repairs for his team. When queried about what went wrong, Gasly simply stated he needed more time to recover before getting back on circuit.