Marco Rossi · F1-Korrespondent
On Madrid's brand-new street circuit, Friday afternoon came down to millimeters rather than seconds, and the championship leader kept his cool under pressure.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli topped the second free practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, sending a clear message ahead of qualifying on the new Circuito de Madring. The Mercedes driver clocked 1:33.662 on Friday afternoon, edging out Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The session was marred by Arvid Lindblad's accident and a gearbox failure for Lando Norris, who failed to post a timed lap.
Antonelli Counters Ferrari on Tight Terrain
After George Russell set the pace in the opening session, the momentum shifted between Mercedes' two drivers in the second run. Antonelli improved by more than four tenths compared to his FP1 time and claimed the day's best lap, while Russell managed only fifth this time around. For the championship leader, the result underscores how rapidly form can swing between Mercedes' two cars from one session to the next.
Ferrari stayed within striking distance. Leclerc trailed by just 0,113 seconds, Hamilton third place with 0,149 seconds back. On a circuit that's already earned a reputation in the paddock for its narrow walls and unforgiving combinations, such gaps amount to little more than a matter of final braking adjustments. Whoever wants to lead on Sunday will need to carry that precision through qualifying as well.
Red Flag After Lindblad Excursion
The new street circuit around the IFEMA exhibition grounds demanded maximum concentration from the first session onward, with its banked Turn 12, reportedly nicknamed 'La Monumental' in the paddock, and several tight sections that leave little room for error. In second practice, Arvid Lindblad lost the rear of his Racing Bulls car at Turn 13 and struck the barrier sideways. The session was halted for around twelve minutes while marshals cleared the debris.
Despite the hairy moment, Lindblad produced an impressive time afterward and finished practice fourth, just 0,228 seconds behind Antonelli. That illustrates how tight the midfield already is on this track and how little margin for error exists on a circuit that already looks demanding after just the opening day of running.
Norris Without a Time, Piastri Keeps McLaren Flying
Lando Norris's second practice session ended before it really began. The McLaren driver suffered a gearbox failure at the start of the session, and his mechanics attempted a quick change, but Norris never made it out for a timed lap. For the Brit, that means a painful lack of reference data on a circuit he's never driven before—a disadvantage that could bite hard in qualifying.
Oscar Piastri kept the McLaren flag flying with seventh place, though over half a second adrift of the top. For a team central to this season's title fight, a clean data set on a new course is priceless, and losing Norris's practice mileage could prove costly if technical gremlins resurface during qualifying or the race. With FP3 still to come Saturday morning, McLaren has just one more brief window to make up lost ground before the afternoon's qualifying session for the Circuito de Madring's inaugural Grand Prix.
