Kimi Antonelli continued Mercedes' strong start to the Spanish Grand Prix weekend by topping FP2 at the Madring on Friday afternoon. The young Italian led a Mercedes 1-2, with teammate George Russell in fifth, while Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton completed the top three for Ferrari.
Antonelli's benchmark time was 0.113 seconds quicker than Leclerc, with Hamilton a further 0.036s adrift. The session marked a significant statement of intent from Mercedes, who have shown impressive pace in both practice sessions so far. Ferrari, meanwhile, appear to be keeping their cards close to their chest, with both drivers within striking distance.
Arvid Lindblad impressed once again, slotting his Racing Bulls into fourth, just 0.228s off the pace. The British rookie continues to turn heads with his speed and consistency. Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, could only manage sixth, 0.401s behind Antonelli. The Red Bull driver seemed to struggle with balance throughout the session, suggesting there is more work to be done overnight.
Lando Norris endured a frustrating session, failing to set a time due to a technical issue on his McLaren. The British driver was forced to watch from the garage as his rivals racked up the laps. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, was seventh, 0.538s off the pace. McLaren will be hoping to resolve Norris's issues before final practice and qualifying.
Further back, Yuki Tsunoda was eighth, followed by Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson in the top ten. Rookies Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) and Ollie Bearman (Haas) finished 13th and 14th respectively. Carlos Sainz, now at Williams, was a lowly 16th, 2.629s adrift, while home hero Fernando Alonso could only manage 17th for Aston Martin, 3.118s off the pace. The session highlighted the challenges facing the midfield teams at the technical Madring circuit.
With Mercedes looking strong, the stage is set for a thrilling qualifying session on Saturday. Can Ferrari and Red Bull respond? Will Norris recover? The battle for pole position is sure to be intense.
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Kimi Antonelli fastest in FP2 at Spanish GP Madring, followed by Leclerc and Hamilton. Arvid Lindblad crashes triggering red flag. Full results here.
Kimi Antonelli tops FP2 at Spanish GP 2026 at Madring, ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton. Arvid Lindblad crashes at Turn 13.
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