Kimi Antonelli emerged as the man to beat on Friday in Madrid, topping the second practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix as Mercedes laid down an early marker on the unforgiving new street circuit.

Antonelli’s 1:33.662 proved untouchable after Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad brought out the red flags following a crash at Turn 13. Charles Leclerc finished second for Ferrari, just over a tenth adrift, while Lewis Hamilton completed the top three.

Lindblad was one of the stars of the session, impressing with strong pace before losing the rear of his car and hitting the barriers. He nevertheless held onto fourth, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Max Verstappen.

Ferrari again looked competitive, with Leclerc initially setting the pace on the medium tyres before Antonelli found a significant improvement. Mercedes’ strength appeared particularly evident in the final sector, where several rivals struggled to extract performance from the new circuit.

McLaren, meanwhile, endured a frustrating afternoon. Lando Norris spent much of the session in the garage while his gearbox was changed, leaving him without a meaningful lap time. Oscar Piastri had more track time but complained of a lack of rear grip.

Fernando Alonso also suffered a compromised session after a clutch problem kept him out during the early running. The Aston Martin driver eventually returned but could manage only 17th.

With the new Madrid circuit already proving capable of biting back, Friday has offered plenty of intrigue. Mercedes has the early advantage, Ferrari is right behind, and McLaren has plenty of homework to do overnight.

And if Lindblad’s crash is anything to go by, Saturday’s qualifying session could be spectacular.

2026 Spanish GP: Friday Practice 2 Results

2026 Spanish GP: Friday Practice 1 Results

Key points: Russell led Mercedes to a 1-2, with Antonelli just 0.286s behind. Ferrari were close behind, while Verstappen was fifth. Alonso was 15th and Sainz 17th.