Kimi Antonelli, who is currently topping the championship standings, posted the fastest time in the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madrín circuit. The session, however, was dramatically interrupted when seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton suffered a crash that cost him valuable track time just before qualifying.
Only about twenty minutes after the session began, Hamilton appeared to be on track for a rapid lap. As he approached the final corner, he misjudged his braking point, ran wide and collided head‑on with the safety barriers.
Although the impact was at a relatively modest speed, the crash was enough to dislodge his front wing. The wing became trapped beneath the front‑right tyre, prompting Ferrari’s engineers to advise Hamilton to bring the car to a stop. Despite the warning, Hamilton attempted to nurse the damaged 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 3:00 pm (with a build‑up period from 2:15 pm).
He managed to reverse out of the barrier, but the compromised front wing continued to drag, eventually forcing the car to halt in the middle sector of the track. Sky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson criticised Hamilton’s decision, saying that a driver—especially a young one watching the broadcast—should never attempt to continue driving a car with a broken front wing. "That rule exists for a reason," Davidson explained.
"If the wing were to come completely under the chassis and lift the front wheels, you could end up with marshals on the track and a serious safety hazard." The incident triggered a 45‑minute red‑flag period while marshals repaired the barrier and cleared debris. During the stoppage, officials stopped the session clock with fifteen minutes remaining, allowing the drivers extra 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. McLaren also showed strong form, with Oscar Piastri posting the third‑fastest time and Lando Norris in fourth place, despite Norris having missed almost all of the second practice session on Friday.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen managed fifth, while Russell occupied sixth. The competitive spread suggested that pole position could be up for grabs, as drivers continued to improve lap times and the track surface evolved throughout the day.
Haas rookie Oliver Bearman highlighted the difficulty of the Madrín layout with a high‑speed crash at Turn 11, leaving his team scrambling to repair the car before qualifying. The incident underscored the technical challenges of the circuit’s fast corners and the importance of car stability at high speeds.
The weekend schedule is packed: on Saturday, September 12, the build‑up to qualifying begins at 2:15 pm, with the qualifying session itself at 3:00 pm, followed by the Formula 3 Feature Race at 4:55 pm and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 6:00 pm. Sunday, September 13, features the second Formula 3 Feature Race at 8:40 am, the Formula 2 Feature Race at 10:20 am, and the main Grand Prix event starting at 12:30 pm with the race itself at 2:00 pm.
The day will conclude with the chequered flag at 4:00 pm and a post‑race reaction segment at 5:00 pm, along with Ted’s final notebook. For viewers, the race will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through the NOW platform—no long‑term contract required and cancellable at any time. The coverage includes a dedicated main event channel on Sky Sports, ensuring fans can follow every on‑track action, from practice incidents to the final podium celebrations.
Overall, the final practice session in Madrid provided a vivid illustration of the fine line between speed and safety in Formula 1. While Antonelli’s pace demonstrates his growing dominance in the championship, Hamilton’s mishap serves as a reminder that even the most experienced drivers must respect the limits of their machinery and the regulations designed to protect everyone on the circuit.
The upcoming qualifying and race will likely be fiercely contested, with several drivers positioned to challenge for the top step on the podium.