Lando Norris was fastest from McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri in second practice for the Belgian Grand Prix.
McLaren have continued their form as the benchmark team in F1 at Spa-Francorchamps as Norris ended up 0.215s ahead of Piastri, with Max Verstappen 0.217s off the pace.
Verstappen will take a 10-grid place penalty for the race, after going over the limit for the amount of engines you can use in a season.
With the championship leader starting no higher than 11th, McLaren have another big opportunity to eat into Verstappen’s 76-point advantage over Norris in the drivers’ standings and Red Bull’s 51-point lead in the constructors’ championship.
Charles Leclerc was fourth but half a second down on Norris, with Carlos Sainz in fifth and eight tenths away from the best pace.
Mercedes have brought upgrades to Belgium, including a reprofiled diffuser and floor edge, but George Russell was one second off the McLarens in sixth and Lewis Hamilton down in 10th.
Hamilton aborted his first two flying laps on the soft tyres and was 1.2 seconds behind Norris, but used the best of his tyre life.
Wet weather expected on Saturday
There was no rain on Friday at Spa-Francorchamps when the F1 cars were on track, but wet weather is expected for qualifying on Saturday.
Rain would throw a cat among the pigeons as all of the one-lap data gathered today will go out of the window. However, McLaren have also been strong in the wet this year and Verstappen is also consistently up there in mixed conditions.
But it may offer Mercedes a glimmer of hope as they appear to be out of the fight for victory this weekend in the dry.
All eyes will be on whether Norris can make the most of McLaren’s pace to earn his second win of the season and go into the four-week summer break with the perfect result.
“It looks like McLaren unlocked more speed but it could all be different if it’s chucking it down with rain,” said Sky Sports F1‘s Karun Chandhok.
“It makes the downforce decision tricky, though. Last year, McLaren ran a bigger wing at Spa and it helped them in all the wet sessions, including the Sprint where Oscar finished second.
“But Lando got outdragged by everyone on the straights because they were too slow on the straights, so you have to be smart with your wing level choice.”
Sky Sports F1’s live Belgian GP schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments throughout the years at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Saturday July 27
8:45am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Belgian GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.15pm: Belgian GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Belgian GP Qualifying
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday July 28
7:25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.40am: Porsche Supercup
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – Belgian GP build-up*
2pm: The BELGIAN GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Belgian GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
The Formula 1 action continues this weekend with the final race before F1’s summer break, the Belgian Grand Prix. You can watch every session from Spa-Francorchamps live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime