Antonelli fastest in red flag interrupted Spanish GP FP2

Kimi Antonelli topped a red-flag interrupted second practice at the Spanish Grand Prix, leading the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton by just over a tenth of a second. The session was paused when Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad crashed at Turn 13, while Lando Norris missed most of the running due to a gearbox issue.

Why it matters:

With the Madring circuit still new to everyone, Friday running is crucial for teams to find the right setup. Mercedes’ early pace suggests they could be genuine contenders this weekend, while reliability problems for McLaren and Aston Martin raise questions about their readiness for the final stretch of the season.

The details:

• Antonelli’s best lap of 1m33.662s was 0.149s clear of Leclerc, with Hamilton a further 0.006s back. The Mercedes driver was the first to go below 1m34s, on the medium tyre, before improving on softs.
• Lindblad, who had shown strong speed, lost the rear at Turn 13 and became the first driver to crash at the new circuit. He was unhurt, but the red flag cost around 10 minutes.
• Norris completed only installation laps before McLaren changed his gearbox, leaving him 22nd.
• Technical issues also hit Liam Lawson, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, with Alonso’s clutch problem delaying his start to the session.
• Max Verstappen had his fastest lap deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 17, while Lewis Hamilton survived a front-tyre lock-up at the same corner.
• George Russell finished fifth ahead of Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri seventh.

Between the lines:

Mercedes' form at a brand-new circuit is a positive sign, but the margins remain tight – just 0.149s covered the top three. Any small mistake in qualifying could prove costly.

What's next:

FP3 gets underway at 12:30pm local time on Saturday, with qualifying to follow at the Madring.