Kimi Antonelli, who currently tops the championship standings, posted the quickest time in the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at the newly built Madring circuit, while seven‑time world champion Lewis Hamilton suffered a crash that cost him precious track time before qualifying. Only about twenty minutes into the session Hamilton appeared poised to set a very competitive lap. As he approached the final corner, however, he mis‑judged his braking point, ran wide and collided head‑on with the safety barriers.
The impact was relatively low‑speed, but the force was enough to dislodge his front wing. The wing folded and became trapped beneath the right‑hand front tyre, prompting Ferrari engineers to advise Hamilton to bring the car to a stop. Despite the advice, 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 begin at 3:00 pm (the build‑up period started at 2:15 pm).
He managed to reverse out of the barrier, but the compromised front wing continued to scrape the track, eventually causing the car to stall in the middle sector of the circuit. Sky Sports F1 commentator Anthony Davidson was quick to criticize Hamilton’s decision to keep the car moving for an extended period with a broken front wing.
"Any young driver watching this should see that you don’t keep driving a car that’s structurally compromised," Davidson said. "The rules exist for a reason – you need to get back to the pits as soon as possible. If the wing had fully detached and lifted the front wheels, you could have created a hazardous situation for the marshals and other drivers." The incident forced race officials to issue a red‑flag period that lasted 45 minutes while marshals repaired the damaged barrier.
The session clock was stopped with fifteen minutes remaining, allowing the drivers an extra window to complete laps on the freshly repaired track. This pause gave the field a brief respite and an opportunity to assess the evolving grip levels on the new circuit. When the session resumed, Antonelli seized the moment, delivering a blistering lap of 1:32.797.
His time edged out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.166 seconds, extending his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 66 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell. Antonelli’s performance underscored his growing reputation as a rising star capable of challenging the sport’s established veterans. McLaren also showed strong form, with Oscar Piastri posting the third‑fastest time and Lando Norris slotting into fourth place.
Norris, who missed most of the second practice session on Friday due to a technical issue, demonstrated that his pace had recovered quickly. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen recorded the fifth‑fastest lap, while Russell managed sixth, suggesting that the pole position could still be contested by several drivers as the track continues to evolve. Haas rookie Oliver Bearman experienced a dramatic setback on the high‑speed Turn 11, suffering a major crash that highlighted the difficulty of mastering the Madring layout. The incident left the team scrambling to repair his car in time for qualifying, emphasizing the fine line between speed and safety on this demanding circuit.
The weekend schedule is packed with action. On Saturday, September 12, the build‑up to qualifying begins at 2:15 pm, followed by the qualifying session at 3:00 pm. Later in the afternoon, the Formula 3 Feature Race 1 will take place at 4:55 pm, and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook will be released at 6:00 pm.
Sunday, September 13, features a full day of racing: the F3 Feature Race 2 at 8:40 am, the F2 Feature Race at 10:20 am, and the main Grand Prix at 12:30 pm with a build‑up, leading to the race start at 2:00 pm. The chequered flag will fall at 4:00 pm, followed by post‑race analysis and Ted’s Notebook at 5:00 pm. All events will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with additional coverage on Sky Sports Main Event. For viewers, Sky Sports recommends using the Chrome browser for the most accessible video player experience.
The Spanish Grand Prix marks a significant moment for Formula 1 as it returns to Madrid, showcasing the new Madring circuit’s challenging layout and the competitive depth of the current field. With Antonelli’s dominant practice performance, Hamilton’s unfortunate crash, and a tightly packed qualifying schedule, fans can expect an exciting race weekend that could reshape the championship battle.