Kimi Antonelli, who currently tops the championship leaderboard, posted the fastest time in the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at the newly built Madring circuit. The session, however, was dramatically interrupted when seven‑time world champion Lewis Hamilton lost control of his car and collided with the barriers, costing him precious track time ahead of qualifying. Only about twenty minutes into the practice run, Hamilton appeared to be on a blistering lap that could have placed him near the top of the timesheets. As he approached the final corner, he mis‑judged his braking point, ran wide and slammed straight into the concrete barriers.
The impact was at a relatively low speed, but the force was enough to dislodge the front wing. The wing folded under the right‑hand front tyre, creating a serious mechanical issue. Ferrari’s pit wall quickly instructed Hamilton to bring the car to a stop, but the British driver, keen to preserve as much running as possible for the upcoming qualifying session, attempted to nurse the damaged machine back toward the pit lane.
He managed to reverse out of the barrier, but the compromised front wing continued to snag on the tyre, forcing him to limp around the circuit for several more corners. By the time he reached the middle sector, the car could no longer be driven and he was forced to bring it to a halt.
Anthony Davidson, the former F1 driver who now works as a commentator for Sky Sports F1, criticized Hamilton’s decision to stay on track with a broken front wing. "Any young driver watching this would know not to keep going with a damaged car. The regulations exist for a reason, and you have to respect them," Davidson said. He added that a fully detached wing could lift the front wheels off the ground, creating a hazardous situation for marshals and other drivers.
The crash triggered a red‑flag period that lasted 45 minutes while track officials repaired the barrier and cleared debris. During the stoppage, the session clock was stopped with fifteen minutes left, giving the drivers an opportunity to complete additional flying laps once the session resumed. When the session restarted, Antonelli set a scorching lap of 1:32.797, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.166 seconds and extending his championship lead to 66 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell. The young Italian’s performance underscored his rapid rise and hinted at a potential pole‑position challenge.
McLaren also showed encouraging speed, with Oscar Piastri posting the third‑fastest time and Lando Norris, who missed most of Friday's second practice, recovering to fourth. Max Verstappen of Red Bull rounded out the top five, while Russell settled in sixth.
The competitive spread suggested that any driver could claim pole, especially as the track continued to evolve and rubber laid down, increasing grip levels. Haas rookie Oliver Bearman experienced a harsh reminder of the circuit’s difficulty when he crashed heavily in the high‑speed Turn 11. The incident left his team scrambling to repair the car before qualifying, highlighting how unforgiving the new layout can be for even the most talented drivers. The weekend schedule is packed: the qualifying build‑up begins at 2:15 pm on Saturday, with the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying session slated for 3:00 pm.
Later that day, the Formula 3 Feature Race 1 starts at 4:55 pm, followed by Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 6:00 pm. Sunday’s program includes the second F3 Feature Race at 8:40 am, the F2 Feature Race at 10:20 am, and the main Grand Prix race at 12:30 pm, with the live broadcast on Sky Sports F1 and a post‑race reaction segment at 4:00 pm.
Viewers can stream the coverage via Sky Sports with the NOW app, which offers a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option. Overall, the final practice session at Madring delivered a mix of excitement and drama. Antonelli’s dominant pace, Hamilton’s costly mistake, and the varied performances from the midfield teams set the stage for an intriguing qualifying session and a potentially unpredictable race on Sunday.
Fans can look forward to seeing whether the young champion can convert his practice speed into a pole position, and whether Hamilton can recover from his setback to challenge for the podium. The new circuit’s blend of high‑speed corners and technical sections promises to test driver skill, car setup, and team strategy, making the Spanish Grand Prix one of the most anticipated events of the season.