What we took from disrupted Belgian GP long run picture

Key Points:

• Pierre Gasly's crash during second practice at the Belgian Grand Prix disrupted many drivers' long runs, leading to an incomplete picture of race pace and strategies.
• Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli showed strong single-lap and consistent long-run pace after major setup changes, while teammate George Russell lagged behind due to earlier power issues and less efficient energy harvesting.
• Max Verstappen's Red Bull performed solidly despite gear shift complaints and a software downgrade, completing the longest long run and splitting the Mercedes drivers in pace; teammate Isack Hadjar struggled due to a grid penalty.
• McLaren's Lando Norris described their car as difficult to drive and faces a grid penalty, while Ferrari remains uncertain after limited long-run data, with team boss Fred Vasseur highlighting contrasting energy deployment strategies affecting straight-line speeds.
• Midfield battles remain unclear due to disrupted runs; Alpine shows signs of improvement in cooler conditions, with Franco Colapinto optimistic about performance gains, while Racing Bulls close in on Alpine in the constructors' standings.