Kimi Antonelli, who is currently heading the championship standings, posted the quickest time in the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at the brand‑new Madring circuit. The session, however, was dominated 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. Only about twenty minutes into the practice run, Hamilton appeared to be on a strong lap, pushing the Mercedes to its limits and threatening to set a competitive time.
As he approached the final corner, though, he misjudged the braking point. The car overshot the apex, and Hamilton steered straight into the safety barriers.
The impact was relatively low‑speed, but it was enough to dislodge the front wing. The front wing detached and became trapped beneath the right‑hand front tyre. Ferrari officials, monitoring the incident, instructed Hamilton to bring the car to a stop.
Instead, the veteran driver attempted to nurse the car back toward the pit lane, hoping to preserve as much running time as possible before the qualifying session, which was scheduled to start at 3 p.m. (the build‑up began at 2:15 p.m.). Hamilton managed to reverse out of the barriers, but the compromised front wing continued to scrape the track, eventually causing the car to stall in the middle sector. Sky Sports F1 commentator Anthony Davidson was quick to criticize Hamilton's decision to continue driving a damaged car.
"Any young driver watching this would know you don’t keep going with a broken front wing," Davidson said. "The regulations are in place for a reason.
If the wing had fully detached and lifted the front wheels, or if marshals were on track, the consequences could have been far worse." The crash triggered a red‑flag period lasting roughly forty‑five minutes while the marshals repaired the damaged barriers and cleared debris. During the stoppage, the session clock was halted with fifteen minutes left on the timer, giving the drivers a chance to complete additional laps once the track was reopened. When the session resumed, Antonelli set a blistering lap of 1:32.797, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.166 seconds and extending his lead in the Drivers' Championship to 66 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell.
The young Italian’s performance underscored his rapid adaptation to the new circuit and his growing confidence against the sport’s seasoned veterans. McLaren also showed strong form, with Oscar Piastri recording the third‑fastest time and Lando Norris slotting in fourth. Norris had missed most of the second practice session on Friday, making his quick pace in the final session all the more impressive. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen managed a fifth‑place time, while Russell, despite his championship lead, was only sixth, indicating that the grid could be highly competitive for pole position.
The Madring layout proved to be a stern test for the field. Haas rookie Oliver Bearman suffered a heavy crash at the high‑speed Turn 11, illustrating how unforgiving the circuit can be. His car sustained significant damage, leaving the team with a daunting task of repairing it in time for qualifying. Looking ahead, the schedule for the weekend is packed.
On Saturday, September 12, the build‑up to qualifying begins at 2:15 p.m., followed by the qualifying session at 3 p.m. The day continues with the Formula 3 Feature Race at 4:55 p.m. and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 6 p.m. Sunday, September 13, features the second F3 race at 8:40 a.m., the F2 Feature Race at 10:20 a.m., and the main Grand Prix action starting with a build‑up at 12:30 p.m., the race itself at 2 p.m., and the chequered flag at 4 p.m., followed by post‑race analysis.
Fans can watch the entire weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free option that can be cancelled at any time. The Spanish Grand Prix promises an exciting showdown as drivers continue to adapt to the evolving track conditions, and the battle for pole position remains wide open.
Overall, the final practice session highlighted both the emerging talent of Kimi Antonelli and the lingering challenges that even the most experienced drivers face on a brand‑new circuit. Hamilton’s crash serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of adhering to safety protocols, especially when a car is compromised. As the teams head into qualifying, the stakes are high, and the competition is set to intensify, making the upcoming race at Madring one of the most anticipated events of the Formula 1 calendar.