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 newly built 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. Only about twenty minutes into the practice run, Hamilton appeared to be on track for a very fast lap.
Approaching the final corner, he mis‑judged his braking point, ran wide and collided head‑on with the safety barriers. Although the impact was at a relatively modest speed, the crash caused significant damage to the front of his car. The front wing detached and became lodged under the right‑hand front tyre, prompting Ferrari’s engineers to advise him to bring the car to a stop immediately. Despite the warning, Hamilton chose 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 begin at 3:00 pm (the build‑up started at 2:15 pm).
He managed to reverse out of the barrier, but the compromised front wing continued to drag, eventually causing the car to stall in the middle sector of the track. Sky Sports F1 commentator Anthony Davidson criticised Hamilton’s decision, saying that any young driver watching would know that continuing to drive a car with a broken front wing is unsafe and against the spirit of the sport’s regulations. "Any young driver that is watching this right now, you don't do that. You just don't do that," Davidson said.
"That rule exists for a reason. If the wing were to come completely under the car and lift the front wheels, you could have marshals on track and a dangerous situation." The incident triggered a red‑flag period that lasted 45 minutes while marshals repaired the barriers and cleared debris.
During the stoppage, the session clock was halted with fifteen minutes remaining, allowing the drivers to resume and complete additional laps once the track was cleared. This pause gave the field a chance to get more data on the evolving grip levels of the brand‑new circuit.
When the session restarted, Antonelli set a blistering lap of 1:32.797, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by just 0.166 seconds. His performance extended his championship lead to a commanding 66 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell. The Italian rookie’s pace highlighted the strength of the Mercedes‑powered car and his own growing confidence in the high‑speed layout of Madring. McLaren also showed encouraging signs, with Oscar Piastri posting the third‑fastest time and Lando Norris slotting in fourth.
Norris had missed most of the second practice session on Friday due to a technical issue, making his quick turnaround in final practice all the more impressive. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen managed to secure fifth place, while Russell rounded out the top six. The close spread of times suggested that pole position could be contested by several drivers, as the track continued to rubber in and provide more grip with each lap.
Haas driver Oliver Bearman experienced a stark reminder of Madring’s difficulty when he crashed heavily at the high‑speed Turn 11. The impact was severe enough that his team faced a daunting task of repairing the car before qualifying, underscoring how unforgiving the circuit can be for even the most skilled drivers. The weekend schedule was packed with action: the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying build‑up began at 2:15 pm on Saturday, followed by the qualifying session at 3:00 pm.
Later that afternoon, the Formula 3 Feature Race 1 started at 4:55 pm, and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook aired at 6:00 pm. Sunday’s program included the second F3 Feature Race at 8:40 am, the F2 Feature Race at 10:20 am, and the Grand Prix itself, with a build‑up from 12:30 pm and the race commencing at 2:00 pm. The event concluded with a post‑race reaction segment at 4:00 pm and another edition of Ted’s Notebook at 5:00 pm.
All of this was broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with additional coverage on Sky Sports Main Event. For fans wanting to watch the action online, Sky Sports can be streamed via the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
The Spanish Grand Prix at Madring promises to be a thrilling showcase of driver skill and team strategy, especially as the circuit continues to evolve throughout the weekend. Antonelli’s dominant practice performance, Hamilton’s ill‑fated crash, and the competitive field all set the stage for an exciting qualifying session and a race that could reshuffle the championship order.