Max Verstappen enjoyed a positive start to his Belgian Grand Prix weekend by finishing quickest in the opening practice session.
It was a surprise, as it was the first time this season that neither a Mercedes nor a Ferrari driver had topped FP1.
Additionally, Verstappen is supposedly lacking straight-line speed around Spa-Francorchamps in his RB22 due to the team ditching its 'Macarena' rear-wing for this weekend and reverting to its original spec.
Yet the four-time F1 champion was fastest, and yes, whilst it might be only FP1, it has provided a solid platform on both which he and Red Bull can build into the remainder of the weekend.
Team-mate Isack Hadjar was fourth on the timesheet, with the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc splitting the pair.
So with the swathes of orange in the grandstands roaring on Verstappen, could this be an opportunity for him to score his first win of what has so far proven to be a difficult campaign?
Have your say in the latest RacingNews365 poll below.
Get the latest F1 news from RacingNews365 directly in your Google feed! Click on the link below and you’ll see your favourite F1 website appearing even more often. That way, you’ll never miss any news, analyses, interviews, or exclusives.
Follow RacingNews365 on GoogleMost read
In this article
Never miss a thing from the Formula 1 season! Add the 2026 F1 schedule to your calendar at the touch of a button. Subscribe below and put the dates and times of every race directly on your PC or smartphone, so you don't miss a second from the new season.
Download the F1 calendar Download the F1 calendar
A variant with just the race and qualifying is also available.
Click here to download it..
Join the conversation!