Antonelli Leads Mercedes Charge in Madrid as Ferrari Closes In During Spanish Grand Prix FP2

Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time of Friday’s second practice session at Madring, putting Mercedes back on top as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton kept Ferrari firmly in contention. Arvid Lindblad’s crash interrupted the session, while gearbox trouble prevented Lando Norris from setting a timed lap.

By Open Chronicle Formula One Magazine

Kimi Antonelli ended the opening day of Formula One action at Madring at the top of the timesheets, delivering the fastest lap of second practice for the Spanish Grand Prix and reinforcing Mercedes’ early strength at the new Madrid circuit.

The championship leader produced a 1:33.662 during the soft tyre phase of FP2, beating Charles Leclerc by just 0.113 seconds. Lewis Hamilton completed an encouraging session for Ferrari in third, only 0.149 seconds away from Antonelli.

Arvid Lindblad was an impressive fourth for Racing Bulls despite causing the session’s red flag, while George Russell, fastest in FP1, completed the top five.

With Mercedes and Ferrari separated by tiny margins at the front, Friday provided the first meaningful indication of how Formula One’s leading cars are adapting to the demands of Madring.

Antonelli takes control

Conditions remained demanding for the second hour of practice. Air temperature reached approximately 30°C, while the track climbed to 53°C under bright sunshine. Humidity was only around 12 percent and there was little wind.

Max Verstappen, Esteban Ocon, Oliver Bearman and Russell were among the first drivers onto the circuit as teams continued the process of understanding a venue that remains unfamiliar territory across the grid.

Leclerc initially established the benchmark with a 1:35.557, Hamilton and Lindblad following closely behind.

Sergio Pérez had an early lap deleted for exceeding track limits, one of several drivers still discovering how aggressively they could attack the new circuit.

Antonelli soon moved ahead with a 1:34.428, with Leclerc remarkably just 0.001 seconds behind.

Russell, Hamilton and Lindblad completed the early top five.

Hamilton struggles with Ferrari front end

Hamilton showed competitive speed but did not enjoy an entirely straightforward session.

The seven time world champion was pushing on a quick lap when he made an error approaching the tunnel and abandoned the attempt. He subsequently reported significant difficulties with the front end of his Ferrari SF 26.

Verstappen also lost a lap after running wide at Turn 17.

Around the halfway point Antonelli remained fastest, ahead of Russell, Leclerc, Hamilton and Lindblad. Liam Lawson, Oscar Piastri, Verstappen, Yuki Tsunoda and Ocon occupied the remainder of the top ten.

Gabriel Bortoleto sat 12th at that stage after experiencing his own balance problems.

Bortoleto searches for confidence in the Audi

Bortoleto’s second session was more complicated than his opening practice run.

Shortly after the first ten minutes, the Brazilian made a brief stop at the Audi garage after reporting over the radio that the car felt close to an accident through several corners.

Audi responded with a front wing adjustment as the team attempted to give Bortoleto greater confidence.

He eventually completed the session in 13th position, setting a 1:35.170. Team mate Nico Hülkenberg was 12th with a 1:35.060, leaving only 0.110 seconds between the two Audi drivers.

It was a closely matched internal battle, although neither Audi was able to threaten the leading group during the final qualifying simulations.

Norris sidelined by gearbox trouble

McLaren encountered a much more serious problem with Lando Norris.

After completing an installation lap without setting a time, Norris returned to the garage and reported an apparent problem involving the gearbox and gear changes.

The McLaren remained in the garage while the team investigated.

With seven minutes remaining, McLaren confirmed that Norris would not return to the circuit. He therefore finished FP2 as the only driver without a representative timed lap.

It represented a significant loss of running at a new circuit, where every lap carries additional value as drivers and engineers build their understanding of braking references, tyre behaviour and car setup.

Oscar Piastri was left to carry McLaren’s programme and finished seventh with a 1:34.200, 0.538 seconds behind Antonelli.

Soft tyres transform the timesheets

The complexion of the session changed when teams moved onto the soft compound for their qualifying simulations.

Lap times fell rapidly.

Antonelli ultimately produced the decisive 1:33.662, but Ferrari emerged as a serious threat.

Leclerc recorded 1:33.775, just 0.113 seconds slower, before Hamilton posted 1:33.811 to move into third.

The margins were remarkably small.

Only 0.149 seconds covered Antonelli, Leclerc and Hamilton, suggesting Mercedes and Ferrari could be heading towards a closely fought qualifying battle if their Friday performance carries into Saturday.

Russell, meanwhile, was unable to match Antonelli during the decisive phase. The FP1 leader recorded 1:33.999, placing him fifth and 0.337 seconds away from his team mate.

Verstappen followed in sixth for Red Bull with 1:34.063.

Lindblad crashes but keeps fourth

One of Friday’s standout performances came from Lindblad.

The Racing Bulls driver recorded a 1:33.890, good enough for fourth overall and only 0.228 seconds behind Antonelli.

His session then came to an abrupt end.

Lindblad crashed at Turn 13, producing the first significant accident of the Formula One weekend at Madring and forcing race control to show the red flag.

The interruption lasted approximately ten minutes.

When the circuit reopened, only 13 minutes remained. Cars quickly formed a queue at the end of the pit lane as teams attempted to recover as much track time as possible.

Despite his accident, Lindblad retained fourth position.

Piastri escapes a late incident

The final minutes brought another scare for McLaren.

Piastri made an error and went straight on at a corner, but managed to avoid contact and returned to the circuit without significant consequences.

At the front, nobody could dislodge Antonelli.

The Mercedes driver took the chequered flag as Friday’s FP2 leader, with Leclerc and Hamilton completing the top three.

The first seven drivers were separated by only 0.538 seconds, but there was then a significant gap to Tsunoda in eighth, who finished more than one second behind Antonelli.

That split suggests an early leading group may be emerging at Madring, although the unusual nature of a completely new circuit means substantial changes in performance remain possible as teams refine their cars overnight.

Mercedes and Ferrari set the early pace

Mercedes can leave Friday with considerable encouragement.

Russell led FP1 and Antonelli led FP2, giving the team the fastest car in both sessions on Formula One’s first official day at Madring.

Ferrari, however, appears extremely close.

Leclerc and Hamilton occupying second and third in FP2 means the Scuderia enters Saturday with genuine reason to believe it can challenge Mercedes over a single lap.

Red Bull remains within striking distance through Verstappen, while Racing Bulls produced one of the surprises of the day through Lindblad.

McLaren faces a different challenge. Piastri remained competitive, but Norris’ lost session could prove costly as the team attempts to prepare for qualifying with considerably less data from one side of the garage.

For Antonelli, meanwhile, Friday represented another confident performance from the championship leader.

He arrived in Madrid at the head of the standings. He finished the first day at Formula One’s newest circuit at the head of the timesheets.

Spanish Grand Prix 2026, FP2 Classification

What comes next at Madring

Friday has established the first competitive picture of Formula One’s Madrid weekend, but Saturday will provide the real test.

Mercedes has the headline advantage after topping both practice sessions, Ferrari appears capable of challenging for the front row, and Verstappen remains close enough to become a factor as Red Bull searches for further performance.

Most importantly, Madring remains new to everyone.

Every additional lap is changing the drivers’ understanding of the circuit and giving engineers more information about tyres, ride height, aerodynamic balance and the compromises required around its distinctive layout.

Antonelli owns Friday’s fastest lap.

The fight for the first Formula One pole position at Madring is only beginning.