Antonelli leads Madrid FP3 as red flags disrupt final practice

Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time in a heavily disrupted final practice at the Spanish Grand Prix, leading Charles Leclerc by nearly two-tenths of a second. The session was interrupted by two red flags, first for Lewis Hamilton's crash and then for Oliver Bearman's heavy shunt with a minute remaining.

Why it matters:

FP3 is the final opportunity for drivers to refine their setups before qualifying. The repeated stoppages limited running, leaving many teams with incomplete data. With the field so tightly packed, those lost laps could influence the grid significantly.

The details:

• Antonelli topped the timesheets ahead of Leclerc, with Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen completing the top five.
• Hamilton's session ended early when he crashed mid-session, triggering a red flag for barrier repairs. He then attempted to drive his damaged car back to the garage, ignoring Ferrari's instructions.
• Bearman brought out the second red flag after a heavy impact with just 60 seconds left, cutting the session short.

What's next:

Qualifying later today will be decisive. Hamilton faces a tough recovery after a disrupted weekend, while the new Madrid circuit has already shown it punishes mistakes. Expect a tense and unpredictable session.