Spanish Grand Prix

Mercedes Dominates Practice – Problems at McLaren

Kimi Antonelli(Bild: AFP/OSCAR DEL POZO)

Mercedes also dominated the second practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was the fastest on Friday afternoon. McLaren experienced gearbox issues—and, of all people, world champion Lando Norris was unable to complete a single lap... 

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap of the day during the second free practice session on the new Formula 1 circuit in Madrid. The Mercedes driver clocked a time of 1:33.662 on Friday, leaving the two Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc (+0.113) and Lewis Hamilton (+0.149), in second and third place. Arvid Lindblad (+0.228) posted the fourth-fastest time before losing control of his car in a turn and sliding into the track barrier.

Here are the final results:

The 19-year-old Racing Bulls driver was uninjured in the incident. Earlier, there had also been a violent crash during the Formula 2 free practice session. Thai driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak crashed his race car into the track barriers with great force coming out of Turn 19. The 20-year-old climbed out of the heavily damaged car on his own, which then caught fire. Black smoke billowed into the air.

(Bild: AFP/PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU)

Setback for World Champion Norris
Antonelli’s teammate George Russell, second in the standings 66 points behind his 20-year-old Silver Arrow teammate, finished fifth in the second free practice session (+0.337). Things did not go well at all for World Champion Lando Norris in the late afternoon. The Brit, who had recently been back in top form, had to pull his McLaren into the garage early due to a mechanical issue. And for Spain’s Formula 1 idol Fernando Alonso, too, there were more breaks than hoped for on the track—including the spectacular “Monumental” hairpin turn—ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, in front of spectators such as Real Madridgoalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and former soccer star David Beckham, had more downtime than hoped for on the track featuring the spectacular “Monumental” banked turn ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix (3 p.m.).

The drivers took every opportunity to gather experience and, above all, data on the new track, located right next to Real Madrid’s training center. “It was tricky at first because the track has so much grip,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. Monza winner Antonelli had already made a strong showing in the first practice session, finishing second behind his teammate Russell. Leclerc and Hamilton were third and fourth behind them.

Here are the standings in the Drivers’ Championship:

This weekend, with the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, the Formula 1 circus is venturing into uncharted territory for the first time since Las Vegas three years ago. The highlight of the twisty circuit through the Spanish capital’s exhibition grounds is the spectacular high-speed banked turn known as “La Monumental.” Despite a lack of prior experience, Mercedes aims to build on Kimi Antonelli’s one-two finish ahead of George Russell—most recently at Monza—on the new “Madring.”