Kimi Antonelli, who is currently heading the championship leaderboard, topped the timing sheets in the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at the brand‑new Madring circuit. The session, however, was marred by a dramatic incident involving seven‑time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who lost valuable track time after a crash that forced him to limp back to the pits. The drama unfolded just twenty minutes after the start of the session. Hamilton, who had been on a promising lap that looked capable of challenging the top times, mis‑judged the braking point into the final corner.
He carried too much speed into the turn, overshot the apex and collided head‑on with the safety barriers. Although the impact was at a relatively modest speed, the force was enough to dislodge the front wing of his car. The front wing detached and became trapped underneath the right‑hand front tyre.
Ferrari’s race engineers, monitoring the telemetry, immediately instructed Hamilton to bring the car to a stop. Despite the clear warning, Hamilton elected to try to nurse the damaged machine back toward the pit lane, hoping to preserve as much running time as possible before the qualifying session, scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm (with a build‑up period from 2:15 pm). While he managed to reverse out of the barrier, the compromised aerodynamics made the car increasingly unstable.
Eventually, the car stalled in the middle sector of the circuit, prompting marshals to intervene. Sky Sports F1 commentator Anthony Davidson was quick to criticize Hamilton’s decision to continue driving with a broken front wing. "Any young driver watching this would know it’s a huge mistake to keep the car moving with that kind of damage," he said.
"The rules exist for a reason – you have to get back to the pits as soon as possible. If the wing had completely slipped under the chassis and lifted the front wheels, you could have created a dangerous situation for the marshals on track." The incident triggered a lengthy 45‑minute red‑flag period while the barriers were repaired and the track cleared. During the stoppage, officials also stopped the session clock, leaving fifteen minutes of running time for the drivers once the session resumed.
This pause gave the field a chance to set additional laps on the freshly repaired section of the circuit. When the session restarted, Antonelli seized the opportunity to post a blistering lap of 1:32.797, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by just 0.166 seconds.
The Italian youngster’s performance extended his championship lead to a commanding 66 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, underscoring his growing reputation as a future star of the sport. McLaren also showed encouraging speed, with Oscar Piastri recording the third‑fastest time and Lando Norris slotting in fourth. Norris, who had missed most of the second practice session on Friday due to a mechanical issue, demonstrated that his car’s pace was improving as the track continued to evolve.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen managed to secure fifth place, while Russell rounded out the top six, indicating that the fight for pole position remains wide open. The session was not without further drama. Haas rookie Oliver Bearman suffered a heavy crash at the high‑speed Turn 11, a section of the circuit that has already earned a reputation for being unforgiving. The impact left his car severely damaged, and the team now faces a race against the clock to rebuild the car before qualifying.
Looking ahead, the weekend schedule is packed with action. On Saturday, September 12, the build‑up for qualifying begins at 2:15 pm, with the qualifying session itself slated for 3:00 pm. The day will also feature the Formula 3 Feature Race at 4:55 pm and the release of Ted’s Qualifying Notebook later in the evening.
Sunday, September 13, promises the continuation of the support series with the second F3 Feature Race at 8:40 am, followed by the F2 Feature Race at 10:20 am. The main event, the Spanish Grand Prix, will start its build‑up at 12:30 pm, with the race itself kicking off at 2:00 pm and the chequered flag expected around 4:00 pm. Post‑race analysis will be provided in Ted’s Notebook at 5:00 pm. All of these sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with additional coverage on the Sky Sports Main Event channel.
Fans can also stream the coverage via the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free option that can be cancelled at any time. The new Madring circuit, built on the site of the former Circuit de Jerez, presents a blend of high‑speed straights and technical corners that are already challenging drivers and teams alike. As the weekend progresses, tyre wear, track temperature, and evolving grip levels will play crucial roles in shaping strategy. Teams will need to balance outright speed with tyre management, especially given the recent incidents that have highlighted the circuit’s unforgiving nature.
In summary, Antonelli’s fastest lap solidified his position as the man to beat in the championship, while Hamilton’s crash served as a cautionary tale about the risks of persisting with a damaged car. The upcoming qualifying session promises to be fiercely contested, with several drivers showing the pace to challenge for pole.
Meanwhile, the support races will provide additional excitement for fans, and the new Madring circuit will continue to test the limits of both man and machine throughout the Spanish Grand Prix weekend.