Kimi Antonelli set the pace in second practice at the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, edging Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as Formula 1 made its debut at the challenging new Madring circuit in Madrid.
The Mercedes driver posted a fastest lap of 1:33.662, finishing just 0.113 seconds ahead of Leclerc. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was third, another 0.149 seconds behind Antonelli, while Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad surprisingly finished fourth despite crashing during the session.
Antonelli’s performance continued a strong day for Mercedes after George Russell topped the opening practice session. The Italian, who leads the championship, appeared increasingly comfortable on the demanding 5.4-kilometre circuit.
The session was interrupted when Lindblad lost control of his Racing Bulls car at Turn 13 and hit the barriers. The incident brought out the first Formula 1 red flag at the new circuit, although the 18-year-old driver was able to climb out of the car uninjured.
Despite the crash, Lindblad’s lap time was good enough to leave him fourth overall, only 0.228 seconds off Antonelli’s benchmark. His accident highlighted the narrow margins for error at a circuit that has already attracted attention for its difficult corners and limited run-off areas.
The Madring has been described by several drivers as one of the more demanding tracks on the Formula 1 calendar. Its tight sections, high-speed corners and close barriers have made finding the right balance between speed and caution a major challenge during the opening day.
George Russell ended the second session fifth, followed by Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson completed the top 10.
McLaren faced an additional setback as reigning world champion Lando Norris missed the second practice session because of a gearbox issue. His limited running could leave the team with less data heading into qualifying.
With overtaking expected to be difficult at the new Madrid venue, Saturday’s qualifying session could prove particularly important. Ferrari and Mercedes look closely matched, setting up an intriguing battle for pole position ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix.