Norris leads tight FP2 in Barcelona

The FP2 results in Barcelona showed an different landscape than in FP1. Lando Norris delivered the fastest time in a closely contested second practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix, beating George Russell by just nine thousandths of a second as McLaren and Mercedes emerged as the early pacesetters in Barcelona.

McLaren and Mercedes set the benchmark

The competitive picture sharpened during FP2, and it was McLaren who once again showed strong one‑lap form. Norris’ 1:15.426 was enough to lead the session, though only just, Russell’s Mercedes shadowed him by 0.009s, with Oscar Piastri completing a McLaren 1‑3 only 0.057s off the top.

Mercedes had further reason to be encouraged. Rookie Kimi Antonelli continued his impressive adaptation to Formula 1, securing P5 and staying within six tenths of Norris. The W15 looked planted through the high‑speed sections, suggesting the team may be in the mix for pole contention on Saturday.

Ferrari competitive but lacking peak pace

Ferrari slotted in behind the McLaren–Mercedes battle. Charles Leclerc took P4, though his gap of 0.373s indicated that Ferrari still needs to unlock more performance to challenge for the front row. Lewis Hamilton ended the session in P9 after encountering traffic and less favourable track conditions during his soft‑tyre run.

The long‑run data hinted at a more stable race outlook for Ferrari, but on pure qualifying pace, the team appears to be half a step behind the leading duo.

Red Bull still searching for answers

For Red Bull, FP2 brought more questions than solutions. Max Verstappen finished sixth, nearly nine tenths off Norris, and continued to report instability in the fast corners, an issue that has plagued the RB22 throughout the early season. Isack Hadjar completed the top ten but also struggled to find a comfortable balance.

The team’s one‑lap deficit remains a concern, especially on a circuit where aerodynamic efficiency and cornering stability are crucial. Red Bull’s long‑run pace looked marginally stronger, but the gap to McLaren and Mercedes is still significant.

Rookies shine in the midfield

The new generation of drivers continued to impress. Arvid Lindblad put his Racing Bulls machine seventh, while Gabriel Bortoleto delivered a standout P8 for Audi. Both rookies demonstrated confidence and precision on a track that punishes mistakes.

Oliver Bearman (Haas) and Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) followed closely in P12 and P13, reinforcing the trend of a highly competitive midfield.

Aston Martin endures a difficult day

Aston Martin’s struggles persisted as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll ended the session 21st and 22nd. The AMR26 lacked grip and stability, particularly in the final sector, and neither driver appeared able to extract meaningful performance from the package. Alonso described the day as “one of the toughest Fridays we’ve had this season.”