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 brand‑new 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. The mishap occurred just twenty minutes after the practice began.
Hamilton appeared to be on a strong lap, building momentum for what could have been a competitive time. As he approached the final corner, he mis‑judged his braking point, ran wide and collided head‑on with the barriers. Although the impact was at a relatively low speed, the force was enough to dislodge his front wing.
The wing became trapped beneath the front‑right tyre, prompting the Ferrari team to advise him to stop the car 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 start at 3:00 pm (build‑up from 2:15 pm).
He managed to reverse out of the barrier but soon found the front wing still interfering with the tyre, causing a loss of control that forced him to halt in the middle sector of the track. Sky Sports F1 commentator Anthony Davidson criticised the decision, saying that any young driver watching would understand that continuing with a compromised front wing is unsafe and against the rules designed to protect drivers and marshals. "Any young driver that is watching this right now, you don't do that. You just don't do that.
That's what you could have tried to do [get back to the pits] but that rule is there for a reason," Davidson explained. "If it [the front wing] went under the car completely and jacked your front wheels up and there were marshals on the track...
you've got to think of all these scenarios." Hamilton's crash triggered a 45‑minute red‑flag period while track officials repaired the damaged barrier. During the stoppage, the session clock was paused with fifteen minutes left, giving the drivers an extra window to complete laps once the session resumed on the freshly repaired section of the circuit.
When the session restarted, Antonelli seized the opportunity to set a blistering lap of 1:32.797, edging out Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by just 0.166 seconds. The Italian driver now leads the Drivers' Championship by a commanding 66 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, underscoring his rapid adaptation to the new track layout. McLaren also displayed encouraging form, with Oscar Piastri posting the third‑fastest time and Lando Norris in fourth.
Norris had missed most of the second practice session on Friday, making his performance in the final session particularly noteworthy. Red Bull's Max Verstappen recorded the fifth‑quickest lap, while Russell rounded out the top six. The competitive spread suggested that pole position could be contested by several drivers, as the track continued to evolve and grip levels improved with each lap. The session also highlighted the challenges of the Madring circuit for less experienced drivers.
Haas youngster Oliver Bearman suffered a heavy crash at the high‑speed Turn 11, a corner that tests both car stability and driver confidence. The incident left the Haas team scrambling to repair the car before qualifying, illustrating how unforgiving the new layout can be. Looking ahead, the weekend schedule is packed with action. On Saturday, September 12, the qualifying build‑up begins at 2:15 pm, followed by the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying at 3:00 pm.
The day concludes with the Formula 3 Feature Race 1 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 event – the Spanish Grand Prix – with a build‑up from 12:30 pm and the race start at 2:00 pm. The chequered flag ceremony and post‑race reaction are slated for 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm respectively, with another edition of Ted’s Notebook rounding out the coverage.
All of the live coverage will be broadcast on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via Sky Sports Main Event and the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free option that can be cancelled at any time. Fans are encouraged to use the Chrome browser for the best video player experience. In summary, Antonelli’s dominant performance in final practice sets the stage for an intriguing qualifying session, while Hamilton’s ill‑timed crash serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of pushing a damaged car back onto the track. The Madring circuit continues to reveal its complexities, promising a thrilling race weekend for drivers and spectators alike.