News Summary
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli led FP2 at Madring with a 1:33.662, heading Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
- Arvid Lindblad impressed in fourth before crashing at Turn 13 and causing the first F1 red flag of the weekend.
- George Russell completed the top five ahead of Max Verstappen, while Lando Norris spent much of the session in the McLaren garage.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli put himself back on top at Madring by setting the pace in FP2 for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, leading the two Ferraris as Formula 1 completed its first day of running at the new Madrid circuit.
After finishing 0.286s behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell in FP1, Antonelli produced a 1:33.662 in the afternoon to lead Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Arvid Lindblad was one of the session’s standout performers. The Racing Bulls rookie climbed as high as second before crashing at Turn 13 with around 25 minutes remaining. Despite the accident, his 1:33.890 was enough for fourth.
Russell finished fifth after leading a Mercedes one-two in the first-ever F1 practice session at Madring, with Max Verstappen sixth and Oscar Piastri seventh.
Antonelli takes control as Ferrari stays close
Ferrari initially set the pace, with Leclerc opening on a 1:35.557, only 0.035s ahead of Hamilton. Antonelli soon displaced both, lowering the benchmark to 1:34.428 before the first ten minutes had elapsed.
Drivers continued to explore Madring’s limits after an unusually clean FP1, with several minor mistakes as grip evolved.
Verstappen briefly took first with a 1:34.378, but Antonelli responded with a 1:33.926. Russell moved within 0.099s of his team-mate as Mercedes again occupied the leading positions.
The soft-tyre runs then began to reshape the order. Leclerc went fastest with a 1:33.820, but his advantage lasted only seconds.
Antonelli immediately answered with the lap that ultimately decided the session, 1:33.662.
Hamilton climbed to third, while Lindblad produced a 1:33.890 to put himself firmly among the leading cars.
Lindblad’s crash interrupts final runs
Lindblad’s strong session ended at Turn 13.
The Racing Bulls driver lost the rear under braking and crossed the track before hitting the barrier. He climbed out without apparent difficulty, but the impact required repairs and caused a red-flag stoppage of almost 15 minutes.
Running resumed with 11 minutes remaining, prompting almost the entire field back onto the circuit.
Lando Norris was the exception. The reigning world champion had earlier reported problems with the rear of his McLaren and spent much of FP2 in the garage, preventing him from completing the programme planned for the session.
Fernando Alonso improved after the restart, while Leclerc used Sergio Pérez’s Cadillac to assess the effect of slipstream and turbulent air before eventually passing him.
There were few changes at the top, leaving Antonelli ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton. Lindblad remained fourth despite his crash, with Russell fifth, Verstappen sixth, Piastri seventh, Yuki Tsunoda eighth, Esteban Ocon ninth and Liam Lawson completing the top ten.
The result leaves Mercedes fastest in both Friday sessions after Russell’s 1:34.077 led FP1. Antonelli, however, ended the day with the quicker benchmark and another indication of the pace that has taken him to a 66-point championship lead over Russell after 13 rounds.
Formula 1 returns on Saturday with FP3 at 12:30 local time before qualifying at 16:00.
F1 2026: Spanish GP FP2 results
| Pos. | Driver | Team/Engine | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. K. ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 1:33.662 | — | 24 |
| 2 | C. LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:33.775 | +0.113s | 26 |
| 3 | L. HAMILTON | Ferrari | 1:33.811 | +0.149s | 23 |
| 4 | A. LINDBLAD | Racing Bulls Ford | 1:33.890 | +0.228s | 15 |
| 5 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes | 1:33.999 | +0.337s | 25 |
| 6 | M. VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull Ford | 1:34.063 | +0.401s | 22 |
| 7 | O. PIASTRI | McLaren Mercedes | 1:34.200 | +0.538s | 24 |
| 8 | Y. TSUNODA | Racing Bulls Ford | 1:34.758 | +1.096s | 26 |
| 9 | E. OCON | Haas Ferrari | 1:34.867 | +1.205s | 26 |
| 10 | L. LAWSON | Red Bull Ford | 1:34.938 | +1.276s | 21 |
| 11 | P. GASLY | Alpine Mercedes | 1:34.959 | +1.297s | 21 |
| 12 | N. HÜLKENBERG | Audi | 1:35.060 | +1.398s | 22 |
| 13 | G. BORTOLETO | Audi | 1:35.170 | +1.508s | 25 |
| 14 | O. BEARMAN | Haas Ferrari | 1:35.203 | +1.541s | 26 |
| 15 | F. COLAPINTO | Alpine Mercedes | 1:35.886 | +2.224s | 22 |
| 16 | C. SAINZ | Williams Mercedes | 1:36.291 | +2.629s | 25 |
| 17 | F. ALONSO | Aston Martin Honda | 1:36.780 | +3.118s | 16 |
| 18 | A. ALBON | Williams Mercedes | 1:36.936 | +3.274s | 22 |
| 19 | S. PÉREZ | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:37.195 | +3.533s | 24 |
| 20 | L. STROLL | Aston Martin Honda | 1:37.273 | +3.611s | 20 |
| 21 | V. BOTTAS | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:37.727 | +4.065s | 24 |
| 22 | L. NORRIS | McLaren Mercedes | No time | — | 2 |
FAQ
Who was fastest in Spanish GP FP2?
Andrea Kimi Antonelli led FP2 at Madring with a 1:33.662 for Mercedes, ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
What happened to Arvid Lindblad in FP2?
Lindblad lost the rear of his Racing Bulls under braking for Turn 13 and hit the barrier. The crash caused the first F1 red flag of the Spanish GP weekend, although he still finished fourth.
When is qualifying for the 2026 Spanish GP?
Qualifying at Madring starts at 16:00 local time on Saturday, September 12, following FP3 at 12:30.
