Kimi Antonelli, who currently tops the championship leaderboard, posted the fastest time in the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit, while seven‑time world champion Lewis Hamilton suffered a crash that cost him precious track time ahead of qualifying. Only about twenty minutes into the session, Hamilton appeared to be on a strong lap, pushing hard and threatening to set a competitive time. However, as he approached the final corner, he mis‑judged his braking point, ran wide and collided head‑on with the safety barriers.
The impact was at a relatively low speed, but the force was enough to dislodge the front wing. The wing slid underneath the right‑hand front tyre, creating a dangerous situation. Ferrari’s race engineers quickly instructed Hamilton to bring the car to a stop, but the veteran driver attempted to nurse the damaged car back toward the pit lane, hoping to preserve as much running as possible before the qualifying session, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
(with a build‑up period starting at 2.15 p.m.). He managed to reverse out of the barrier, but the compromised front wing continued to snag on the tyre, and the car eventually stalled in the middle sector of the circuit. Sky Sports F1 commentator Anthony Davidson was critical of Hamilton’s decision to keep the car moving despite the obvious damage. "Any young driver watching this should see that you don’t keep driving a car that’s lost its front wing," Davidson said.
"The rules exist for a reason – you have to bring the car back to the pits immediately. If that wing had completely folded under the chassis, it could have lifted the front wheels and created a serious safety hazard for the marshals on track." The incident forced race control to issue a red‑flag, halting the session for roughly 45 minutes while the barriers were repaired and the debris cleared. The clock was stopped with fifteen minutes left on the session, allowing the drivers to resume and complete additional laps on the freshly repaired track surface. When the session restarted, Antonelli seized the opportunity to cement his dominance.
He recorded a blistering lap of 1:32.797, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by just 0.166 seconds. The young Italian now enjoys a 66‑point lead over his Mercedes teammate George Russell in the drivers’ standings, underscoring his rapid rise in the sport. McLaren also showed encouraging form, with Oscar Piastri slotting into third place and Lando Norris, who missed most of Friday’s second practice, climbing to fourth.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull rounded out the top five, while Russell settled for sixth. The spread of times suggested that pole position could still be contested, as the track continues to evolve and drivers extract more performance with each lap. Haas rookie Oliver Bearman demonstrated just how unforgiving the Madring layout can be.
He suffered a heavy crash at the high‑speed Turn 11, sending his car into the barriers and leaving his team scrambling to repair the vehicle before qualifying. The incident highlighted the technical challenges of the new circuit, where even small errors can result in significant damage. The weekend’s schedule 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. After the main event, the F3 Feature Race 1 starts at 4.55 p.m., and later in the evening, Ted’s Qualifying Notebook airs at 6 p.m. Sunday, September 13, features the second F3 Feature Race at 8.40 a.m., the F2 Feature Race at 10.20 a.m., and the Grand Prix itself at 12.30 p.m.
(with a build‑up from 12.30 p.m. and the race commencing at 2 p.m.). Post‑race coverage, including the chequered‑flag ceremony and reaction analysis, will be broadcast at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
respectively, with additional commentary on Sky Sports Main Event. Formula 1 fans can watch the Spanish Grand Prix 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 event marks a significant moment for the sport as it returns to Madrid, showcasing both emerging talent like Antonelli and seasoned champions such as Hamilton, whose crash serves as a reminder of the fine line between ambition and safety on the world’s most demanding circuits.